THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 



MINIATURES (ESSAYS) 
THE PRINCESS OF FORGE 
THE INCORRIGIBLE DUKANE 
THE ISLE OF STRIFE 



THE 

INVISIBLE ENEMY 



BY 

GEORGE C. SHEDD 

Author of "The Lady of Mystery House," 
"The Princess of Forge," etc 



NEW YORK 

THE MACAULAY COMPANY 
1918 



COPYBJGHT, 1918, 
BY FRANK A. MUNSEY CO. 

COPYRIGHT, 1918, 
BY THE MACAULAY COMPANY 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. SEVERAL GENTLEMEN WHO COVET A 

SHIPYARD 9 

II. A PLAN OF ACTION 23 

III. A FALLING PLANK 34 

IV. WHO Is THE ENEMY? 43 

V. THE GIRL IN CHARGE 57 

VI. BOB STOKES INVESTIGATES .... 70 

VII. IN THE WOODS 80 

VIII. FIRST BLOOD 90 

IX. MR. BROUSSARD TURNS THE OTHER 

CHEEK 102 

X. THE OBSCURE FACTOR 121 

XI. ELLEN DURAND 129 

XII. THE ADVENTURE AT THE ISLAND . . 137 

XIII. WHAT OCCURRED AT THE OLD WRECK 150 

XIV. UNDER SUSPICION 167 

XV. A NEW CAUSE FOR PERPLEXITY . . 180 

XVI. SNOHOMISH JIM PLAYS A CARD . . . 189 

XVII. A SECRET CONFERENCE 198 

5 



2138393 * 



6 CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

XVIII. WHICH HAS NOTHING TO Do WITH 

SHIPS 2ii 

XIX. THE OPENING VISTA 219 

XX. EVIDENCE OF GUILT 229 

XXI. AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 238 

XXII. THE MASK OFF 252 

XXIII. SNOHOMISH JIM CLEARS FOR ACTION . 263 

XXIV. THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES . . 272 
XXV. A DEATH BLAST 286 

XXVI. THE FIRST SHIP 298 



THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 



THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 



SEVERAL GENTLEMEN WHO COVET A SHIPYARD 

LOCAL CAPITAL supposed it had appraised all of 
Martinsport's possibilities, winnowed the profitable 
from the profitless, collected such assets as were 
worth while, present and future, and carefully 
tucked them away in its bosom. The term Local 
Capital may mean various things according to its 
location, mass, cohesion, specific gravity, and moral- 
ity. In Martinsport it signified a select number of 
affluent citizens (more particularly, five) who had 
buttoned up in their breast-pockets everything of 
value in town, as aforesaid, for personal benefit 
rather than public weal, in contradistinction to af- 
fluent gentlemen from elsewhere who desired the 
same monopoly. The difference was clear and im- 
portant. While the former were Local Capital, the 
latter were merely "outside money." Having as 
it believed everything of value safely buttoned up, 
Local Capital smiled when "outside money" came 
nosing about until Stokes Brothers arrived. 

9 



io THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Martinsport was a prosperous little city. It had 
a dredged channel out to deep water and a thriving 
export trade ; it had an east-and-west main line rail- 
way that made it the center of the immediate coast, 
and two other lines that came down from the in- 
terior to tide-water. The latter roads discharged 
here immense quantities of turpentine, staves, lum- 
ber, cotton, molasses and so on, which vessels with 
neutral colors painted fore and aft upon their hulls 
and vessels with plain hulls but flying flags of the 
Allies stowed in their hulls, then sailed away again 
out into the Gulf of Mexico, keeping a sharp look- 
out for whales that wore periscopes on their backs. 

From the water-front two long piers projected 
into the sea, where ships lay end to end, their masts 
penciled against the sky, taking on freight. Some 
distance east of them, amid heaps of oyster shell, 
there smoked a row of canneries. Westward, the 
water-front was occupied by boat-sheds and fish- 
houses for a mile or more, when they yielded to a 
broad* shell drive bordered by white mansions. 

The basin formed by the two piers had, like the 
channel, been dredged, and therefore held deep 
water. A strip of ground that overlooked this har- 
bor and in a sense connected the two piers remained 
vacant until along in the fall of 1916. The property 
was owned by an elderly gentleman, who had ac- 
quired it at the time the piers were built and al- 
lowed it to lie idle. Strictly speaking, the owner, 
a Mr. Willard, was "outside money" as his inter- 
ests were elsewhere; lumber companies up in the 



SEVERAL COVET A SHIPYARD n 

state, timber tracts on the Pacific coast, and hold- 
ings in a trust company in Detroit, in a steel con- 
cern in Birmingham, a smelter in Arizona, a sugar 
refinery in New Orleans, and in a few other things. 
But as he spent his winters in Martinsport and 
no longer engaged actively in business and it was 
further known he had no designs upon Martinsport, 
he was regarded with an amiable eye. Financially 
he swam, when he did swim, in other and larger 
waters than those to which Local Capital was ac- 
customed. 

One or another of the capitalists of Martinsport 
had sought at various times to acquire this piece 
of property. It was not considered one of the 
things absolutely necessary to have and button up, 
as it appeared to have no especial value aside from 
its nearness to the piers, but it might possess spec- 
ulative possibilities. However, the price asked by 
its owner, Mr. Willard, struck the prospective pur- 
chasers as ridiculously high, and so no deal had been 
made. When Local Capital bought, it bought only 
at a bargain; when it sold but, ah, that was an- 
other matter! 

The strip of ground remained vacant, as pre- 
viously remarked, until in the autumn of 1916. All 
at once it became known that the property had 
been sold to a firm of the name of Stokes Brothers. 
Railroad trackage went down on it, a high board 
fence went up around it, and a swarm of workmen 
fell to work on ship ways. Inquiry confirmed the 
fact that Stokes Brothers proposed to build ships, 



12 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

wooden ships, ocean-going sailing ships. While 
every one knew that the war had given the ship- 
building business an unprecedented boom, kiting 
ship prices to unheard-of figures, no one had ever 
thought of the industry as a profitable possibility for 
Martinsport. The oyster-canning companies built a 
number of their little schooners here, to be sure, but 
they were a side-issue. And yet, with lumber dumped 
down at the port at a low freight cost, why should 
it not be a good business, ship-building ? Then "just 
look at what ships were bringing!" Indeed, Local 
Capital began hurriedly to look at what ships were 
bringing. If Martinsport had a good thing like 
that, then rightfully Local Capital should profit by 
it instead of outside money. It looked hurriedly, 
but at no great length, for brief consideration dis- 
closed that the only water- frontage on water deep 
enough to launch an ocean vessel lay between the 
two piers, leaving out the fact it had all the other 
facilities Stokes Brothers' ground. Local Capital 
felt that somehow it had been hoodwinked, be- 
trayed, robbed by misrepresentation. Mr. Willard, 
the former owner, came in for some rather bitter 
comment but not to his face. 

The matter was privately discussed in the board 
room of the Electric Light and Power Company, 
after a meeting of the directors whereat various 
petitions for lower light rates and six-for-a-quarter 
car fares and other confiscatory measures were sum- 
marily tossed into the paper basket. Local Capital 
constituted the board of directors. 



SEVERAL COVET A SHIPYARD 13 

"If Willard knew when he sold it what the tract 
was to be used for, and first did not give us a 
chance, then I say he deliberately affronted us." 
And the speaker, Johnson by name, president of the 
Marine Exchange National Bank, a gentleman 
plump of face and pompous of nature, looked 
around the table with a contenance pink with indig- 
nation. "What do you think, Farrington?" 

"Yes, he played it pretty low, when he knew any 
one of us would have bought the ground when 
several of us had tried to buy it, in fact." 

Samuel Farrington was a shriveled little man, 
with a white chin whisker and hands whose natural 
position was a clutch. He always dressed in black. 
Though not an officer of the Martinsport Lumber 
and Cotton Bank, a rival financial institution of that 
of Johnson's, he nevertheless owned it body and 
soul. 

There were three or four other banks in the 
town, but they did not count beside Johnson's and 
Farrington's. In the councils of the Big Five, as 
Local Capital was sometimes called, the two gentle- 
men, naturally conservative by disposition, aligned 
themselves together against the bolder element, 
namely, Derland, head of the light-and-power com- 
pany and Main, of the gas concern known as 
"Gas" Main. A cleavage of opinion usually existed 
as to ways and means between the bank pair on 
the one hand and the public utilities on the other. 
A third and distinct factor at the board was Mr. 
James Broussard, of whom more presently. Suf- 



14 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

fice it to say, the fifth member of Local Capital 
played a lone hand and formed no permanent alli- 
ances. 

"I feel that Martinsport should have had this op- 
portunity at ship-building, on the principle of home 
benefits accruing to home interests that have cre- 
ated the opportunity," Johnson continued, swell- 
ing a bit at the resonance of his own voice. 

Derland, a small dark man, wearing a thin black 
mustache, removed his cigar and eyed Johnson 
across the table. 

"All very true, but that doesn't help matters un- 
less you've some suggestion as to how we're to 
have some of the benefits," he remarked, in level 
tones. "It's not a question of Willard any longer, 
but of Stokes Brothers." 

"I've no suggestion, except that we pool together 
and buy them out," was the reply. 

"But only at the figure of their investment ; we'll 
pay these outsiders no fancy bonus," Farrington in- 
terjected, sharply. 

"You're a fool if you think they'd be that easy," 
Main shot at the other, bluntly. "Of course, we'd 
have to make it an object to them to sell." 

He lay back in his chair and began to meditate 
the idea. His figure was of large bulk, but not 
fat. His gray eyes had a hard steely light that 
seldom faded, while under his heavy brown mus- 
tache his mouth gripped a cigar in an unvarying, 
powerful trap-hold. Not many people addressed 
him directly as "Gas" Main. 



SEVERAL COVET A SHIPYARD 15 

"Any one know anything of these Stokes?" Der- 
land asked. 

"From somewhere west, I understand," Johnson 
stated. 

"Pacific coast Seattle," Farrington announced. 
"The firm opened a small account at my bank." 

Johnson, of the other institution, having his at- 
tention thus called to the matter, made a mental 
note to dispatch the assistant-cashier to interview 
Stokes Brothers regarding starting an account with 
the Marine Exchange also. Farrington should not 
have that all to himself. 

"Presuming that the new company would not sell 
outright, there's a possibility of it disposing of 
some of its stock to us," Derland said. 

"Yes and we might eventually secure control of 
the business, once we were in it," Johnson added, 
with a nod. "Local interests should control local 
enterprises." 

"I'll talk with him next time he's in the bank," 
Farrington said, pinching the end of his nose. 

"Gas" Main lowered his eyes until they rested on 
those of the little weazened speaker. 

"And remember you're talking for all of us 
when you do," he said, in an inimical tone. "I 
don't trust you ; you're nearly as bad as Broussard. 
Don't think you can pocket for yourself whatever 
stock they will sell. I'll make you eat your own 
whiskers if you try to double-cross me." 

Farrington gave the man an angry glance, then 
pretended to ignore him. 



16 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"How many brothers are there in the firm ?" Der- 
land inquired. 

"Only one in Martinsport Frederic W. Stokes. 
Young, about thirty-six. He says he'll run the 
work here," Farrington said, shortly and with an 
involuntary scowl at Main. "That's all our bank 
got out of him. There may be twenty brothers at 
home." 

Main continued to stare at Farrington. 

"You've been trying to pump him, I see," he re- 
marked, emitting a slow puff of smoke. "I wouldn't 
be surprised if you'd been cooking up a little scheme 
by yourself to grab off stock that is, you and 
Johnson and leave the rest of us out in the cold." 

"I've never said a word to him on the subject!" 
the other exclaimed, in a rage. "Haven't more 
than seen the man, let alone talking to him." 

"That doesn't say you haven't been scheming 
something. But don't you try it. If there's to be 
any pickings out of this ship business, we all share. 
You don't work a squeeze alone, remember that. 
Eh, Derland?" 

"Right. We'll all participate," the second public 
utility replied, in a calm voice. 

It will be observed that while Local Capital was 
banded together in a united cause against outside 
money, its members were not averse to putting a 
hand in each other's pockets when opportunity 
arose. 

Johnson here endeavored to pour oil upon the 
conversation that threatened to grow acerbous. 



SEVERAL COVET A SHIPYARD 17 

"If we could once get an interest in this concern, 
then undoubtedly there would be ways of convincing 
Stokes Brothers it would be to their advantage to 
dispose to us of all their holdings in the business. 
Let us not dispute; there would be enough for all 
of us in that case. Unless they are a company of 
very large capital " 

"I looked them up. No ship-building firm of that 
name any place I could learn of," Farrington inter- 
rupted. "So it must be new." 

"So much the better for us," said Main. 

"Is Willard backing it?" Derland inquired. 

"No. I had Ginn call him up saying he was pre- 
paring an article for the Herald about the new firm 
which Ginn is and that he heard Willard had 
an interest in it. Willard said he had not." Far- 
rington still showed a trace of asperity in his words. 

"Well, next time you see Stokes bring up the mat- 
ter of a purchase of stock," Main said, coolly, "rep- 
resenting that there's a small local syndicate which 
would be pleased to invest. That is, unless some 
of you aren't interested, in which case I'll take your 
share." And he gazed about. 

No one showed such a disposition. The ship in- 
dustry had every appearance of traveling high and 
far in the next few years. 

"First, sound him as to a sale outright," Der- 
land appended. 

"We could afford to pay above par for a control- 
ling share of the stock," Johnson mused. 

"What's the amount of the company's capital?'" 



i8 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Farrington shook his head, "Haven't learned. 
But it doesn't have to be large; two or three hun- 
dred thousand would be enough to launch the busi- 
ness." He began to rub his hands softly. "It's 
the earnings that count, ah, the earnings! They'll 
be something to admire, gentlemen. Once the com- 
pany is going full capacity, it will earn the amount 
of its capital every six months. I can't see no, I 
can't see how we were so blind as to let these 
strangers come in here and pick up the only availa- 
ble site for a shipyard from under our noses ! Wil- 
lard deceived us." 

"We'll have to make it up from Stokes Brothers, 
that's all," Johnson stated, with an air that plainly 
indicated the matter was settled. 

At this juncture in the proceedings, Mr. James 
Broussard laughed a low laugh, a derisive laugh. A 
low and derisive laugh was exactly what might have 
been expected from him, for his dark, thin, satur- 
nine face at the moment was also derisive. He 
was a Jail spare gentleman, but in no way weak; 
though leisurely of movement, he could on occa- 
sion be exceedingly agile. Of about the age of 
fifty-five, he wore a closely-trimmed brown Vandyke 
beard showing streaks of gray and had black eyes 
so full as to be almost insolent. Broussard was 
not the president of anything, but nevertheless a 
director in everything in Martinsport. He was a 
part of Local Capital, because Local Capital couldn't 
help itself. At one time Broussard money was 



SEVERAL COVET A SHIPYARD 19 

about all there was to Local Capital; that was be- 
fore there was a Martinsport. 

Neither the bankers nor the pair of public util- 
ities could claim Jim Broussard. He sat between 
them, as it were, and kept both uneasy. His four 
confreres viewed him with perpetual suspicion; he 
viewed them with amusement. If four honorable 
burglars were forced constantly to associate with 
an assassin of independent mind and faithless na- 
ture, they would have felt the arrangement no 
more distasteful than did the rest of Local Capital. 
He had no more conscience about breaking a gen- 
tleman's agreement with them when finally entered 
into than he had of skinning an enemy. Worse, he 
did not mind bleeding a little himself if only they 
bled more. That was against all the ethics! One 
can never feel entirely comfortable with a com- 
panion who uses a knife for pleasure as well as 
business. 

As remarked, Broussard laughed at Johnson's 
statement. Offering no views or suggestions during 
the discussion, though occasionally glanced at as 
if invited for an opinion, the malice in his laughter 
was not unsignificant. 

"Well, what strikes you as funny, Broussard?" 
Johnson demanded, loudly. 

"Your air of proprietorship, to be sure. Al- 
ready in your mind you've turned Stokes Brothers 
out into the cold, cold world and have their ship 
business in your pockets. It's as good as a French 
farce to hear you fellows quarreling about some- 



20 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

thing you haven't got and are not going to have. 
I'll give you some news. Stokes Brothers' busi- 
ness isn't for sale; they will keep right on making 
ships at their own convenience. Nor is any of 
their stock for sale. In respect to that, I may say 
that I've conferred with Mr. Frederic Stokes re- 
garding the matter, and my most agreeable offers 
were declined without the least show of heart. Alas, 
gentlemen, I grieve to say it, but apparently he 
fails to appreciate the prestige his business would 
receive by the addition of Martinsport capital." 
And, removing his cigarette, he smiled his diaboli- 
cal smile. 

"Trust you to try and grab the stock for your- 
self," Farrington snapped, clawing his white chin 
whisker. 

"Oh, I keep stepping along." 

"Gas" Main tossed his cigar into a brass cus- 
pidor. 

"You're such a liar, Jim, I don't believe you ever 
saw the man at all," said he. 

Broussard greeted this polite impeachment by an 
airy wave of his hand. 

"Then help yourself to stock," he replied. 

"Possibly some of the rest of us would impress 
Mr. Stokes ahem more favorably in presenting 
Martinsport's claims," said Johnson, placing the tips 
of his fingers together and gazing judicially down 
his nose. "I'll undertake to put matters to him 
in such a light that he'll perceive the mutual ad- 



SEVERAL COVET A SHIPYARD 21 

vantages and benefits to result from cooperation 
of " 

"Go to it, brethren," Broussard interrupted, aris- 
ing from his seat. "May hope be a candle to light 
your way ! He expects you fellows, I imagine, for 
I told him you'd all probably be along one after 
another, as you could smell easy money farther than 
anybody I knew. Of course, if I couldn't finger 
any of it, I hoped you gentlemen would likewise 
refrain from a sense of delicacy. But to make sure, 
I blackened your characters until he undoubtedly 
thought you a gang of scoundrels somehow left un- 
hanged. And he thanked me for the warning. 
'Watch 'em,' I said, 'watch 'em now and hereafter. 
And lock up your safe when they're about.' He 
was locking it as I went out." 

"I don't put such infamy past you," Johnson ex- 
claimed in a burst of wrath at this disclosure, leap- 
ing to his feet and shaking a finger at Broussard. 

Derland motioned him back into his seat. 

"Don't let him make a goat of you," he remarked. 
"He simply says that to see you squirm: haven't 
you learned that yet?" 

"Goat or no goat, it's outrageous ! I'll see Stokes 
anyway and I'll say here and now that if we per- 
suade him to part with some stock, Broussard will 
get none of it!" 

The latter lifted his walking-stick in a pained 
gesture^ 

"Xow, now, Johnson. You can count me out of 
the spoils, but I pray you spare my sensibilities. Mr. 



22 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Stokes made it plain that I couldn't buy into the 
company, so I wash my hands of the matter and 
give my thoughts to higher things than mere sordid 
money-getting. But don't be so unkind as to tell 
me to my face, Johnson, that I can't share your 
own good luck; that is brutal." 

He sauntered towards the door. 

"A good thing, then, you don't hear what people 
say behind your back," Farrington whipped out. 

"Nothing about foreclosing mortgages on poor 
widows, at any rate," Broussard returned with a 
meaningful smile as he paused, hand on the knob. 
"By the way, any of you fellows like to go over 
to New Orleans with me this afternoon and count 
the chickens ? Ah, you sly dogs ! I know all about 
your little private business trips little suppers, 
wine, pretty girls. Don't scowl, Farrington, you 
old scamp, I've mentioned no names. Thank God, 
I'm an honest man and above board !" 

Farrington sputtered and clawed the papers on 
the table before him, impotently. 

"You damned devil, I'm a deacon of a church 
I've not been in New Orleans in a year!" he 
squealed. 

The closing door cut off Broussard's laughter. 



II 

A PLAN OF ACTION 

To the chagrin of Johnson, after making the 
acquaintance of Frederic Stokes, of Stokes Broth- 
ers, and arranging a meeting with him, the predic- 
tion made by Broussard unhappily proved true. No 
stock of the ship-building company was for sale. 
The banker's most adroit persuasion and most plau- 
sible arguments failed to impress the other that the 
firm would materially benefit by admitting Local 
Capital into the concern. The ship-builder intimated 
that Stokes Brothers had a good thing and intended 
to keep it. When the company needed money, as 
later on might be the case, he would be glad to give 
Johnson's bank a chance at the loan; but no stock 
was being offered. He would consider Martins- 
port's interests to that extent, no further. 

"It's a question whether the Marine Exchange 
or any other bank in town would care to make you 
a loan," Johnson remarked, with abruptness, "if no 
local capital is invested in the company." 

"Then your loans are not determined by the 
character of the security alone, as is generally the 
banking practice?" 

"Certainly but every bank gives preference to 
23 



24 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

customers with home interests. Yours is an outside 
business, strictly speaking, Mr. Stokes." 

A faint smile showed on the visitor's lips. 

"How do you make that out?" he asked. "The 
investment is here. It provides a pay-roll for Mar- 
tinsport. Except for material, our money is spent 
here." 

"Very true. Yet no local money is in the busi- 
ness. Our town is benefited only incidentally and 
in the larger sense has nothing added to its wealth, 
so long as the industry is owned entirely outside." 

Stokes dropped his smile, looked at his watch. 
From his face the banker, who had furtively ob- 
served it during the talk, had gathered nothing. The 
ship-builder appeared quite calm, indeed, casual. 

"Well, that's a rather more narrow view of the 
matter than is taken out in the country where I 
come from," Stokes said. "Cities invite new in- 
dustries there, and banks finance them. But it's 
unimportant in any case. I threw out the sugges- 
tion of your banks handling our loans, if we make 
them, in line with your argument of giving busi- 
ness to Martinsport. But if your institutions are 
hostile to outside enterprises, as you call them, why, 
we need not discuss the matter. It's of no concern 
to us. We had counted on floating our loans in 
Seattle anyway, where they look good to the bank- 
ers. We'll not trouble you, rest assured. And 
I'm pleased to be enlightened as to Martinsport's 
attitude towards our company; I'll bear it in mind 
in the future when it comes to hiring labor and 



A PLAN OF ACTION 25 

buying such supplies as I've purchased here in the 
past. I'll begin replacing my carpenters at once 
with men from New Orleans. I can run up a 
boarding-house and commissary in the shipyard in 
no time. You'll have no objection, I presume, to 
my quoting your view of our company in explana- 
tion of my discontinuing purchases from local job- 
bing houses?" 

Again the visitor consulted his watch, then arose 
from his chair. His manner was that of one who 
considered the present subject disposed of and who 
had other affairs to attend to. 

The president of the Marine Exchange also got 
hastily to his feet. His round, pink face was a 
picture of agitated feelings, of consternation. It 
was the usual thing for men coming into his pri- 
vate office to be subdued if not abashed by a sense 
of his importance and that of the bank ; but Stokes 
had not only not been awed but under Johnson's 
attempted pressure had produced a bomb that threat- 
ened to explode with unpleasant results. 

"Wait a moment, Mr. Stokes," he exclaimed. 
"You misunderstood my words. There's no such 
feeling of hostility towards your company by me 
or my bank as you seem to think not in the least, 
sir, not in the least. We welcome any worthy in- 
dustry to Martinsport, like yours. I had no idea 
whatever of depreciating the benefits the town re- 
ceives from your investment, let me make that clear 
to you. Sit down, Mr. Stokes, sit down and we'll 
talk it over. You mustn't depart with a wrong 



26 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

conception of our sentiments and business purposes. 
I greatly regret that I expressed myself so obscurely 
on the matter." 

"I'm afraid I must return to the yard ; my time 
is limited," was the answer. 

"Now, now, Stokes, the ships won't float away. 
I want to set myself right in your opinion." John- 
son smiled amiably and laid a hand upon the visitor's 
arm. "You mustn't think for an instant that 
I sought to discourage you " 

"Stokes Brothers is not discouraged that easily." 

"I judge not a live, enterprising company. I'm 
greatly interested in it, want to see it succeed. You 
must get the notion out of your head that we here 
in Martinsport are inimical to your firm. I can't 
satisfy you on that point better than by saying come 
to us when you want a loan. When you've become 
better acquainted with us, you'll see we're quite as 
obliging as the banks with whom you've been in 
the habit of dealing." 

"I'll think it over. There will be no condition 
of selling stock if I do." 

"Certainly not; it will be a strict business trans- 
action." Johnson gave him a playful clap of hand 
on shoulder. "But I know you've a choice plum 
in this ship business and naturally I'd like a bite 
at it. I'm envious, my dear fellow. Now, we'll say 
no more of that; I don't continue to annoy a man 
when he's declined to sell. It's near luncheon time ; 
come along to the club with me to-day." 



A PLAN OF ACTION 27 

"Thanks, but I can't accept. I have matters to 
look after immediately." 

"Well, some other time then. And remember, 
you give our bank first consideration of any loans. 
Mr. Andrews, our assistant-cashier, informed me 
that you have agreed to open an account with us, 
which we appreciate. If your loan will be of any 
size, all I ask is that you give us a day or so of 
notice. 

"It will be a hundred and fifty or two hundred 
thousand," Stokes stated. 

"About when would you want it, do you think?" 

"Along in February sometime, probably." 

"All right, Stokes. If you should want it before, 
let me know; I think we'll have no trouble in ar- 
ranging it, and there will be no need running out 
west to get it, you understand." 

When the ship-builder had gone, Johnson sat 
down to breathe freely. He wiped the perspiration 
from his brow. He recognized that he had nearly 
stepped into a nice mess in trying to put the screws 
on Stokes, who proved that he was a man one could 
not take liberties with; but by hastily swinging 
around the banker had smoothed out his case. Stokes 
had a fighting eye : he would have done exactly what 
he said about replacing local labor, operating a 
boarding-house and so on. He had not been bluffed 
for a single second. Johnson heaved a sigh of re- 
lief at the thought of having escaped the storm 
he would have brought down upon himself from 



28 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

the working-men, cheap hotel-keepers, merchants 
and the rest. 

"This fellow Stokes is altogether too independ- 
ent," he presently remarked aloud, however, with 
a growing indignation at what the man had threat- 
ened in reprisal. "It's time he was taken down a 
peg. If we get this loan, we'll see if we can't put 
him in his place." 

He began to speculate on the possibilities of such 
a circumstance. At the end of ten minutes he rang 
up Farrington on the telephone and invited him 
to luncheon. Farrington accepted he always ac- 
cepted when others paid the bill. During the meal 
later on Johnson informed him that he had inter- 
viewed Stokes and that the latter refused to sell 
a single share of stock. 

"The hog! Wants to keep it all for himself!" 
Farrington replied, unfolding his napkin and set- 
ting his lips in a thin line. 

"But listen! There's a new angle to the affair. 
Stokes Brothers will be wanting to borrow some 
money in a couple of months or so and there may 
be our chance. I'll inform Main and Derland that 
there's nothing doing in the stock; that lets them 
out. You and I will then handle the loan person- 
ally don't want it in our banks for sufficiently good 
reasons and see if we can't fix things so that after- 
wards we may develop the lead." 

"Good, very good, very good, indeed!" little 
Mr. Farrington, of the Lumber and Cotton Bank, 
replied with a smile appearing upon his shriveled 



A PLAN OF ACTION 29 

visage. "That will be even better than a purchase 
of stock, and once the loan is made and properly 
secured there should be a way of bringing Stokes 
Brothers to the mark." 

"Don't fool yourself that Stokes is a simpleton; 
he's not," Johnson warned. 

Farrington sniffed. 

"What difference does it make what he is if he's 
tied hand and foot. We'll demand for collateral 
his stock, or a majority of it. Then it will be our 
business to force sale of it. If we can't devise an 
issue on which to enjoin the business, attach com- 
pany accounts in our banks, or otherwise lock up 
its proceeds about the time the note comes due, you 
and I had better retire. Huh, with Stokes Broth- 
ers' funds handled in our banks, we'll know to a 
dollar where the concern stands. If it has the cash 
ready, the latter must be tied up legally for twenty- 
four hours to allow action on the paper. After 
that we'll have the stock, take over charge of the 
business, and Stokes Brothers can sue its head off 
in the courts about it if it wants to." 

"Supposing this Stokes insists on giving a mort- 
gage?" 

"Well, we'll insist on a stock collateral," Far- 
rington grinned. "Mark my words, he won't want 
the bother of a plaster on the property." 

With a nod Johnson helped himself to some cold 
chicken. 

"And all can be done legally." 

"All legally, all legally. And I imagine our Stokes 



30 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

friends will learn some of the possibilities of the 
law of which heretofore they were ignorant." Far- 
rington pinched his nose in thought over the idea. 
"I presume they have no more notion than the aver- 
age business man of what can be done by legal pro- 
cedure. Johnson, this looks better and better." 

He laid down his fork to rub his hands and 
beam at his fellow banker. 

"The man hadn't left my office over a minute 
before I perceived an opportunity in a loan," the 
latter stated. "And he was so arrogant in the mat- 
ter of letting any of us into the business that I 
have no scruples in making what profit we can out 
of the situation. Really, these outsiders must be 
taught a lesson." 

He regarded Farrington with a grave air. Far- 
rington nodded with equal gravity. It was not well 
for people like Stokes Brothers to flout the powers 
that be. 

"We'll teach 'em," the little man said, with a 
tightening of lips. "We should have had that ship 
business, anyway." 

"Look out, there's Main!" Johnson presently ex- 
claimed. "Just coming in. No mention of this 
before him, of course. Let him and Derland find 
their own apples and Broussard declared himself 
altogether out of the deal the other day." 

"That rake!" Farrington snarled. "I'd like to 
get him where I could break him!" 

The other sighed sympathetically. 

"So would I but it's out of the question. 



A PLAN OF ACTION 31 

Treachery personified! I'd rejoice if he left Mar- 
tinsport for good. In a way, one feels contaminated 
in associating with a man of such natural de- 
pravity." 

"Called me an old scamp!" 

"Deplorable. Yet what can be done." Johnson 
frowned in annoyance. "He's incorrigible and 
worse, secretive. I just heard he cleaned up a quar- 
ter of a million on Bethlehem, heard it from a 
reliable source, and there's never been a peep from 
him that he had any of the stock. Picked it up at 
around one-fifty. Never gave a hint at the time 
that he thought it would be a good thing.'* 

A look of pain crept into the lineaments of Mr. 
Farrington's face. He closed his eyes as if suffer- 
ing. 

"A quarter of a million! Did that scoundrel 
make that much on Bethlehem Steel?" he groaned, 
combing his white chin whisker. "It does appear 
at times as if the wicked prospered." 

"Well, we could do very well without him in 
Martinsport. Unprincipled but here's Main!" 

The head of the gas company had made his way 
through the dining-room, speaking now and again 
to the occupants of some table, until his eyes fell 
on the pair of bankers. He stopped beside their 
table. 

"Sit down and join us," Johnson invited. 

"I'm eating with those men over yonder," Main 
answered. "Well, what did you learn from Stokes ? 
You were to have seen him this morning, I think." 



32 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

His heavy jowls spread over the edge of his col- 
lar, pressing it down, as he looked at them. Tower- 
ing above the diminutive Farrington, his bulk 
seemed huge. The little financier silently devoted 
himself to his luncheon. 

"Saw him and there's no stock for sale," John- 
son responded. "Broussard was right on that. And 
Stokes was as lofty about it as you please." 

"Humph. Is that all?" 

"I'm afraid so, Main. He wouldn't hear of the 
idea of letting us in." Johnson shook his head, then 
took a sip of his iced-tea. 

For a little the standing man considered them, 
as a bull might regard a pair of dogs he mistrust- 
ed. 

"What are you fellows concocting then?" he de- 
manded. "You had your heads together as I came 
along. I suppose you're keeping something back 
about the matter that Derland and I are entitled to 
know. Remember that it was agreed we were all 
to be in on this Stokes killing, if there be any. No 
flimflam goes. We'll take a hand mighty quick if 
we find you're holding out on us." 

Johnson lifted a guileless round face. 

"Suppose you see Stokes yourself, if you think 
I persuaded him to part with any of his stock," 
he said. Then he added emphatically, "You'll dis- 
cover that Stokes Brothers is doing all the holding 
out that's being done and you're welcome to any 
stock you can pry loose." 

"Humph," Main grunted again. 



A PLAN OF ACTION 33 

"By the way, cotton's off ten points to-day," 

Johnson stated, idly. 

"Sold yesterday what I was carrying. Thought 

a slump about due. Where are you, Farrington?" 
"I unloaded a week ago." 
"Missed a little then, but not much." 
Main moved on towards the table where he was 

to eat. 



Ill 

A FALLING PLANK 

ONE morning early in April, of the following 
spring, Frederic Stokes and the gentleman who had 
previously owned the site, Mr. Willard, conversed 
at a spot in the shipyard near the water. They had 
been moving about the plant, observing the work 
going on and had now halted at this place. It was 
open and therefore insured privacy. 

The harbor lay before them. Several steamships 
rested at anchor in the water between the two piers, 
taking on coal from barges moored alongside. 
Launches sped to and fro about the basin on busi- 
ness of their own, their exhausts pop-popping indus- 
triously. A tug was towing a Scandinavian four- 
master away from a pier out towards the chan- 
nel. 

Near the men loomed the stern of a building ship, 
half -concealed by scaffolding, a-ring with the blows 
of hammers. Farther on the ribbed skeleton of a 
second vessel under construction stretched its huge 
hollow frame parallel to the first. A pungent smell 
of new pine scented the air. The multitudinous 
sounds of industry arose everywhere about the ship- 
yard. 

34 



A FALLING PLANK 35 

"You appear to be driving the work," Mr. Wil- 
lard stated. "This boat ought to be ready to launch 
soon." And he indicated with his cane the nearer 
vessel. 

"In six weeks if we're not blocked by trouble," 
Stokes replied, grimly. 

"Labor trouble?" 

"Yes, labor and other kinds. Mostly other kinds, 
so far, have been happening, but there are signs 
that we'll get a dose of labor worry presently. 
Somebody's stirring things up in order to put Stokes 
Brothers in a hole." 

"I heard indirectly something to that effect," 
Willard remarked, "so I came over to apprise you 
of the fact. There's a move on foot to hamstring 
your business." 

Stokes swung about so as to face the speaker. 

"When did you learn that?" he asked, quickly. 

"Yesterday. Nothing definite, but the word was 
dropped in my hearing. I intend to look into the 
matter a little farther. Having interested myself 
in bringing you here, I was therefore interested 
in knowing that some one is after your company 
with a knife; the news displeased me." 

Mr. Willard announced the fact in a tone of voice 
that carried a slight trace of annoyance. As al- 
ready said, he was an elderly gentleman. His spare 
.figure, however, was straight, his cheeks retained 
a clear fresh color. With upper lip shaven in the 
fashion of an earlier generation he wore a short, 
white beard that gave his countenance a benign and 



36 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

almost ministerial aspect. But a keen glint was in 
his eyes and the impression of mildness was some- 
what lessened when he thrust a long, slim, black, 
piratical-looking cigar into a corner of his mouth. 
He shut his lips tightly, which cocked the cigar up 
at a rakish angle. 

"I never did admire this Martinsport bunch of 
money-bushwhackers/' said he. "Nothing would 
rejoice me so much as to see you get out your bat- 
tle-ax and slice off some of the fat from whoever's 
trying to do you up I suppose it's one or all of 
them. 

"Your statement that you had heard a rumor I 
was being attacked makes my suspicion a certainty," 
Stokes said. "For some time I've suspected there 
was a design to injure our business. Things went 
along all right until about the first of March, then 
troubles began that could be explained only on that 
assumption. We were then ahead of our scheduled 
rate of construction ; we've since lost that gain and 
gone behind. And, mark you, this happened in 
spite of the fact that we are employing more men 
now than earlier!" 

"What were the specific causes of loss?" Willard 
asked. 

"Men shirking, delays, accidents. The superinten- 
dent first called my attention to matters a month 
ago, wanting to know if any one was deliberately 
working to prevent building of the ships. He had 
an idea there might be German agents at work to 
stop construction or destroy the plant. He's con- 



A FALLING PLANK 37 

vinced that at least some of the accidents have been 
mischievous, and is sure there's been meddling with 
the men. Not all of them, but with a number, 
enough to slow up things. He quietly learns who 
are the slackers and we replace them with new work- 
men as rapidly as possible. A section of scaffold- 
ing fell one night; the watchman swore he saw 
nothing or heard nothing until the accident hap- 
pened. I have a half a dozen guards patrolling the 
yard of nights now. Another instance: we had to 
rip out a deck section bad material and bad con- 
struction both. Mulhouse discovered it before it 
was all down; and we fired the foreman in charge. 
No stupidity in the case, couldn't have been. An- 
other time a lot of lumber was sawn wrong lengths ; 
too short. And so on. Everything but fire. Some- 
body put a row of augur-holes in the stern-post of 
that boat just starting over there ruined it, of 
course. Will have to jerk it down and set up an- 
other, and the timber, like that of the ribs, is all 
specially sawn to shape. It will take a week or 
ten days to replace it. That happened only last 
night. I'm going to extend the fence along the 
water, for whoever did the job got into the yard 
from the water side. I thought at first what oc- 
curred might be due to spite of some disgruntled 
workmen, but I changed my mind presently. The 
delay and damage was too well-devised and too con- 
tinuous. As Mulhouse maintains, it has a look of 
German agents' work. 

"They would either burn or blow up your ships 



38 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

at once," Mr. Willard answered, reflectively. "Were 
the workmen you've discharged of German na- 
tionality?" 

"No, on the contrary the naturalized Germans 
employed are steady and reliable. The men re- 
sponsible for delays or mistakes, whenever found, 
were American or French or Italian by birth. A 
number of them were from New Orleans; a few 
live here in Martinsport. The great bulk of the 
carpenters, understand, are straight, but a few ma- 
licious men can make plenty of trouble for all and 
cut down immensely the effectiveness of all." 

"I think, Stokes, the nationality of the men dis- 
charged does away with any theory of German 
agents, unless the latter are working very cunningly. 
The rumor I heard confirms the idea that the lit- 
tle war you have on hand is being conducted by 
some one purely for profit." 

"You spoke of Martinsport bushwhackers," 
Stokes exclaimed, with a sudden inspiration. "Now 
that I think of it, it doesn't seem unlikely. Several 
men wanted to buy stock, and gave me a threat or 
two when I refused. I felt their hostility to our 
enterprise at the time, but supposed it was only a 
passing exasperation of the moment. They've since 
shown no feeling, and indeed accommodated us by 
a loan." 

"Who did?" Willard demanded, abruptly. 

"Johnson and Farrington." 

"Their banks, or the men personally?" 

"The two men. They stated that the directors of 



A FALLING PLANK 39 

their institutions were opposed to making the loan 
while our company was but yet newly established 
at least for two hundred thousand, which was the 
amount I wanted. But the men stood ready to fur- 
nish it personally." 

"Rot ! Their banks could have handled a hundred 
thousand apiece without difficulty." 

"I suspected so, but I didn't care," Stokes stated. 

"They have something up their sleeves. How did 
they try to tie you up ?" 

Stokes laughed. 

"I see you know them! First, they wanted both 
a mortgage on the property and our stock as col- 
lateral. I requested them to get their feet down 
on the ground and said I'd give a mortgage. That 
brought out their real demand the stock. The 
loan was finally arranged by my putting up half 
our capitalization, stock for two hundred and fifty 
thousand." 

"That was what they wanted. They'll see if they 
can'f hold that collateral by forfeiture." 

"That's what I wanted, too and let them try 
to monkey with us if they've a feeling that way. 
We'll build a fire under them if they do. I wouldn't 
have put a mortgage on the plant in a thousand 
years for those fellows." 

"They're slippery," the visitor remarked. 

"All right. They seemed fair enough about it, 
but I was taking no chances. If it's their scheme 
to get a strangle-hold on the business, let them 
proceed; but I'm here to say that Stokes Brothers 



40 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

has no intention of being strangled, scuttled, or any- 
thing else. But certainly these two gentlemen 
wouldn't instigate the criminal interference with 
our work that's occurring, in the hope of preventing 
us from meeting our note when due." 

Willard shook his head. He removed his cigar, 
inspected it and again put it in his mouth. 

"Oh, no. Johnson and Farrington don't operate 
in that way," he stated, with finality. "You can 
lay aside any suspicion of them being the respon- 
sible parties; their activities when they move will 
take quite another direction, I conjecture." 

"Then that leaves me in the dark." 

"When did these concealed attacks begin, 
Stokes?" 

"We began to notice the frequency of accidents 
and delays about the first week in March, with a 
consequent falling off in the rate of construction." 

"And when did you secure this loan?" 

"Well, towards the latter end of February," 
Stokes made answer. "Since you bring the two 
facts together, it appears a striking coincidence that 
our troubles began to multiply almost immediately 
after the loan was made." 

"Very singular, indeed. But though the circum- 
stance points at the two bankers, you need have no 
fear they would mix up in anything of the kind. 
Nevertheless there may be a connection between 
the happenings." 

"You seem to have something definite in mind." 

"Well, I haven't," Willard said. "I'm merely 



A FALLING PLANK 41 

indulging my habit of seeking causes in effects. If 
there's any relation between your borrowing money 
late in February and the beginning of secret as- 
saults on your property a week or so afterwards, it 
narrows the inquiry. It brings the matter down 
to a point where you can ask yourself who besides 
the parties concerned know of the loan, how they 
are interested in it, why should it inspire a desire 
on the part of others to damage you, what do they 
hope to gain by it. I think I can answer the last 
question at once. Somebody else is after your busi- 
ness always, of course, counting on the theory 
there is a relation between the facts." 

"I perceive this is a complex little fight, figuring 
that Johnson and Farrington are after my scalp, 
too." 

"The latter is a contingency it will be well to 
make allowance for," Willard replied. 

Stokes pulled his hat lower over his eyes and 
gazed grimly at the ships and about the yard. The 
sounds of labor, the moving figures of men, the 
general air of industry, appeared to give him a new 
sense of assurance. 

"I didn't come down here into this country and 
start this plant for local vultures to fight over," 
said he. "If war is what they want, war is what 
they shall get. Let us go back to the office. To 
begin with, I'll have the yard strung with electric 
lights and the guards armed with shot-guns. Per- 
haps a load of buckshot will discourage the night- 



42 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

prowlers. I'll have Mocket, the book-keeper, secure 
a permit this afternoon for firearms in the yard." 

"Place a detective or two among the workmen 
to learn who is supplying the money," Willard sug- 
gested. 

"Yes, I'll do that. I'll send to an agency for 
men to-day or to-morrow. They should be able to 
get wind of things." 

At the office door Willard, after a few more 
words, stepped into the motor car that awaited him 
there. 

"Make the pirates, whoever they are, pay for 
their fun," said he. "I'm running up to Chicago 
and Detroit for a few days, but when I return I'll 
look into this affair a bit myself." 

And he was driven away. 

About two o'clock that afternoon a plank fell 
from a low scaffolding being erected about the 
frame of the second ship. Stokes chanced to be 
passing underneath at the instant and it struck him 
to earth. Workmen carried him to the office, where 
a doctor and ambulance were hastily summoned. 
Though the fall of the plank had not been great, it 
was sufficient to break his collar-bone and left arm, 
besides dealing him a severe glancing blow upon 
the head. He had regained consciousness before 
the arrival of the physician and despite his pain 
had given his stenographer instructions of a pri- 
vate nature regarding the business. Then he was 
rushed to his home. 



IV 

WHO IS THE ENEMY? 

IF it were possible to observe the course of a 
telegraphed communication as a visible phenome- 
non, a message that began at Martinsport might 
have been seen as a succession of flashes between 
points sparking its way from city to city, in long 
leaps, up and up northwest across the continent 
until it ended in a final flash in Seattle. There a 
man in an office read the message and took down 
a telephone receiver. Back in the timber of the 
Cascade Range, in a small heavily wooded little 
valley, another man answered the ring. He in turn 
went to the door and called across to the cook- 
shack. The cook replied, then yelled to a youngster 
outside, put a doughnut in the latter's hand when 
he ran up, spoke a word of instruction and shooed 
the little boy out of the shack by a flap of his 
apron. 

"Now skip make your feet fly !" he commanded. 
"Tell Bob Stokes that Mac says he's wanted at the 
telephone in a hurry. You'll find him down where 
they're loading cars. Don't fool by the way, or I'll 
warm your pants with a butter-paddle. Run!" 

The lad trotted off, stuffing his mouth as he 
43 



44 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

went. Five minutes later a tall, tanned, blue-eyed 
young fellow strode up the slope and entered the 
office. The still more youthful book-keeper nodded 
his head towards the telephone. 

"Hurry-up call from J. C, Bob," he stated. 

"All right. Probably about that extra-length 
stuff he wants." 

He crossed to the telephone, gave the handle a 
spin and called for the Seattle office connection. 
Then he lighted a cigarette while waiting, stuck a 
toe into the stomach of a cat lying just by his feet 
and wiggled it there, then rolled his eyes about upon 
the boyish book-keeper. 

"When was the divorce, Mac?" he inquired. 

"What divorce ?" The book-keeper regarded him 
suspiciously. 

"I perceive that the missives you're getting this 
week are encased in baby pink envelopes, while 
those you've been having were in blue. And the 
handwriting on them also appears strange and 
weird. Hence, a new dame." 

A bright color appeared in the other's cheeks. 

"By golly, a fellow can't have even a new girl 
without the whole camp knowing it !" he exclaimed. 

"Pretty?" 

"Some apple, Bob, believe me ! Met her last time 
I was down, and after the first look I fell for her 
like a thousand of brick." 

"But where, oh, where was Annie?" 

"Annie, your boot!" was the disgusted reply. 



WHO IS THE ENEMY? 45 

"The other one's name wasn't Annie, but Sera- 
phina. She ditched me for " 

"Hold! Stokes ordered. "Say that name again 
and say it slowly. Seraph I'll bet, with a handle 
like that, she was as short and dumpy as one of 
Bill's puddings." 

The book-keeper sniffed disdainfully. 

"You lose. She was thin and and mercen- 
ary! I started to tell you she ditched me for a 
fellow with a yellow auto. Ditched me cold, after 
all the money I'd spent, too." 

Stokes shook his head sadly, the telephone re- 
ceiver still held to his ear. 

"Heartless, fickle woman!" quoth he. "But I 
suppose the new one is as sincere as she's beauti- 
ful, especially when the girlie is gazing soul fully 
over her nut sundae into Mac's burning orbs, as 
he relates his hairbreadth adventures up here in 
the woods." 

"Go to the devil !" the boy ejaculated, with a red 
face. 

With eyes fixed upon the ceiling Stokes continued 
in a declamatory voice: 

"Ah, those tender looks ! Ah, those blissful drug- 
store romances, half heartache, half soda-water 
fizz ! I've been there, my son ; I've known the same 
sweet sorrow. I've shivered with that same mixture 
of joy and ice-cream. . . . Hello, that you, John? 
. . . What's that; hurt! . . . Yes, I can go at once. 
As soon as I shake myself out of these clothes and 
boots I'll hop into my car and start down. I'll 



46 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

be in town in three hours if I come in on one 
wheel. . . . Tough luck for Fred. Hope to heaven 
it's no more than busted bones, though that's bad 
enough. Might have killed the old boy! . . . All 
right; see to my ticket and Pullman. I'll be there 
by six, or know why." 

He clapped the receiver in place and turned to 
the book-keeper, who had listened with growing 
concern on his face. 

"What happened to F. W.?" the latter asked, 
quickly. 

"Broken shoulder accident. I'm starting for 
Martinsport immediately. Rustle out and bring 
Barney, so I can give him a last word. Then bring 
my car to the door, please. I'll have to change my 
clothes and run through the papers in my desk. 
Must be away from here in fifteen minutes." 

At the end of that period both Barney, the woods 
boss, and the runabout awaited him. To the for- 
mer he gave a number of instructions. 

"J. C. will be running up here often," he said, 
"and he'll keep in touch with you constantly by 
'phone. Mac, explain my absence to Aitken. Tell 
him to keep sawing the stuff he's on; I haven't 
a moment more to spare, or I'd see him myself. 
Keep J. C. advised of everything he'll doubtless 
be along immediately. Look over the commissary 
lists with Jorgensen that I was going to check up. 
And find out why that new saw isn't here, and give 
the railroad a poke. Barney, keep the men driving 
on the trees better shift the log track where we 



WHO IS THE ENEMY? 47 

talked of. If Pete's leg doesn't appear to get healed 
as it should, send him down to a hospital and tell 
him not to worry about the cost. Well, I'm start- 
ing. It's up to you boys to make the lumber spout. 
Luck with you!" and off he drove, waving a hand 
behind. 

As good as his word, he reached Seattle by six, 
finding his brother awaiting him in the company 
office. John Stokes, the elder of the three brothers, 
and known as J. C, was about thirty-eight ten 
years older than Bob. Both he and Frederic Stokes 
sometimes jokingly called the young fellow a "fam- 
ily after-thought," but were exceedingly proud of 
the strong, active, hustling junior. Stokes Broth- 
ers was considered a coming firm, with shrewdness 
and nerve and "pep." 

"You can leave to-night and be in Martinsport in 
four days if you make train connections," J. C. said, 
after Bob had read the telegram announcing the 
accident to their brother. "I had Voss look up 
the timetables and schedule the best route. If there 
had been any way to arrange the matter I would 
have gone myself, but I'm up to my neck in deals 
here. Anyway, a few days would have done no 
good. Fred may be laid up two or three months." 

"Yes, I'm the one to go," Bob answered. 'What's 
this about something in his last letters that you 
spoke of over the 'phone?" 

The older man adjusted his nose-glasses and drew 
forward a file of correspondence. 

"These letters came this week," said h, "the 



48 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

last one only this morning, so you haven't seen 
them. Fred writes of the trouble with men he's 
been having, and of the numerous accidents in the 
yard. States they're apparently malicious; his su- 
perintendent thinks so, at any rate. Is convinced 
some one's deliberately injuring the company, but 
isn't sure whether it's German agents or aggrieved 
workmen or who. Take the correspondence along 
with you and read it on the train. You can mail 
it back from some point along the road." 

"Very well. Somebody dropped the board on 
Fred intentionally then; the wire says a falling 
plank hit him." 

"Wouldn't be surprised, if his suspicions in the 
matter are right. But no disgruntled workman 
would be responsible in the sense the word implies. 
As Fred lists the occurrences in his letters, it looks 
like a systematic campaign of attack by the I. W. 
W.'s. But by what he's learned none of the work- 
men are in that outfit. So somebody else is be- 
hind it." 

"Perhaps German agents, as the superintendent 
suggests," Bob said, at once. 

"Well, that's what you'll have to find out. Fred 
will be able to tell you something more if he's 
able to talk when you arrive. If not, you'll have 
to dig it out. There may be another explanation: 
Fred wrote when he first went to Martinsport that 
there was apparent hostility to us by some local 
people because we had picked up the only shipyard 
site. Not likely they would start anything as raw as 



WHO IS THE ENEMY? 49 

trying to sandbag our business, but bear the fact 
in mind. You'll have to consider every possibility 
and run down every clew. And if any one is really 
making a dirty, underhanded fight, look out for 
yourself he'll try to get you as he got Fred." 

"Let him or they, or it, whichever it is," Bob 
snapped out. "Let 'em try it ; I can use the rough 
stuff, too. But what the deuce would any persons 
besides enemy agents want to put us down and out 
for?" 

The older brother tapped the desk with forefin- 
ger. 

"To get our business bankrupt us, break us, lay 
us flat and then secure the assets of the concern 
far below what they are worth. Martinsport no 
doubt realizes by now that we've a little mint there. 
Any man who stops to figure will see that the profits 
of the first two boats will pay back every dollar 
of capital invested, and that afterwards everything 
will be velvet." 

"Well, I've been up in the timber and haven't 
given the ship end of it much thought," Bob re- 
marked. "Where's the pinch? How can any one 
nip us?" 

"We borrowed two hundred thousand down 
there." 

"Yes, I know. Go ahead." 

"Our credit here was about all used in swinging 
the purchase of that big Oregon tract of timber 
we bought. When Fred learned definitely he could 
get the money he needed at Martinsport, why, we 



50 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

went ahead and bought the tract. That left us just 
enough cash to keep the business going in good 
shape until we could begin to cut some of the new 
stuff and realize." 

"I remember." 

"But with everything tied up, we'll be able to 
pay the Martinsport loan only when the first ship is 
sold. The loan will fall due about a month after 
Fred's scheduled date for completion of the vessel." 

"The light begins to glimmer in my brain," said 
Bob. 

"His recent letters report that because of the de- 
lays, accidents and so on, which he believed engi- 
neered, the work was dropping behind schedule. 
And now he's clear out of the game, probably 
strapped up in a plaster cast. Things will be kept 
moving of course by those in charge, but not as if 
Fred were on hand. If a ship is not finished and 
sold, we'll have a note of two hundred thousand 
to meet and no money, unless we let go the timber 
again." 

"We need that timber; we'll not let go of that," 
said Bob. 

"No. And we can't raise anything on it at pres- 
ent It's carrying a good load as it is. Once our 
mill is into the stuff, the money will come in fast 
enough at prices lumber is bringing and will con- 
tinue to bring. That was a good buy; we must 
hang on to it. So it's up to you to see that first ship 
is launched." 



WHO IS THE ENEMY? 51 

"As I remember, the loan was made on stock 
collateral, not by mortgage," Bob reflected. 

"Yes I've not forgotten that. Fred didn't want 
a mortgage. Of course, we can do so if it comes 
to a last shot, though if it becomes known some 
one's injuring our property the matter will be more 
difficult. And there's a chance, too, of selling a 
ship on a substantial payment down before it's fin- 
ished, since competition for ships is brisk. I didn't 
say any one could break us ; I'm explaining the state 
of affairs in case some person has such an object in 
view. But we might have to do a bit of lively 
financing at the last minute if we make no pro- 
vision." 

Bob smiled, then finally laughed. 

"You always do make provision, though," said 
he. "The way you're reciting the 'pros' and 'cons' 
shows me you've been employing a few minutes of 
spare time in cogitations." 

For a moment John Stokes also smiled. 

"Since receiving Fred's letters, yes," said he, 
"and since getting the telegram this afternoon I've 
given my mind to the subject. Fred, I imagine, 
has had something ready in case the holders of our 
notes tried to take any undue advantage of the sit- 
uation ; he hinted as much when the loan was made. 
You'll find out and let me know what it is. I 
think I can guarantee that Stokes Brothers will con- 
tinue to do business right along." 

Bob suddenly jumped up and began to stride to 
and fro across the room. 



52 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Do you think the men who loaned this money 
are making us the trouble? Could they be such 
damned ruffians as to have Fred laid out cold by a 
plank to gain their ends?" he demanded. 

"You're going there to learn that, as I've al- 
ready stated." 

"I'll find out, never worry. Somebody shall pay 
for nearly killing him it might have killed him! 
I'll discover who it was if I have to use a fine- 
comb on the whole town. No one can put across a 
dirty, murderous trick like that on Fred and not 
pay for it." 

"Right, Bob. We'll sharpen our knives, and if 
the thing was really deliberate the man shall pay 
dearly for it," John Stokes affirmed, with a sud- 
den compression of his lips. "There's only one 
treatment for bushwhackers !" 

All at once Bob stopped in his stride. 

"The men who loaned the money are bankers, 
I recall," he said. "Isn't that right?" 

"Yes." 

"Then surely they wouldn't be such scoundrels !" 

"One finds it difficult to believe so we'll give 
them the benefit of the doubt until you discover the 
culprits. But, in any case, we'll be prepared so that 
they can't take advantage of us, even if they're not 
mixed up in it. They might feel so disposed." 

"Possibly it's German agents, after all." 

"No telling. But trust no one but Fred and 
Willard. Do you remember him? No, I don't be- 
lieve you ever made his acquaintance. He gave us 



WHO IS THE ENEMY? 53 

the tip on the ship business there and sold us the 
site. Used to know father, and has dropped in here 
at the office occasionally when he's in the west. In- 
terested with the West Coast Mill and Develop- 
ment people." 

"Big man, then." 

"Yes. Has several lumber concerns in the south 
and other interests over the country. He lives in 
Detroit, but spends a good deal of time in Mar- 
tinsport because of the climate. Outside of him, 
there's no one you can trust. Now, I think that's 
about all. We'll go up to dinner, for Martha and 
the kiddies are expecting you, of course, to say 
good-by. Martha has a lot of messages for you 
to carry to Alice, who'll be worried to death by 
Fred's injuries. We can talk a bit more after eat- 
ing, then you'll have time to pack your trunk and 
the like. Train leaves at ten-fifteen." 

He arose and pulled shut the roller top of his 
desk. 

"Where's Jim Flanagan Snohomish Jim?" Bob 
asked, all at once. 

"Cruising out Number Three tract." 

"When will he finish?" 

"In two or three days. He's nearly through, I 
judge." 

"Can you spare him, John?" Bob inquired, med- 
itatively. 

"I guess so. Was going to send him down to 
run through the Oregon timber again. What about 
him?" 



54 

Pausing to light his pipe, Bob gathered up the 
correspondence which he was to read on the train 
and stuffed it in his pocket. 

"Send him along down after me when he comes 
in," he said. "I'll put him on as a carpenter and 
if he doesn't nose out something, I miss my guess. 
Tell him he's to find the fellow who got Fred 
that's all that will be necessary. He's particularly 
fond of Fred. He can hammer nails, I suppose." 

"Enough to pass as a carpenter, I think." 

Bob nodded. 

"Jim's the man I want. Have him shuck off his 
woods togs and make up as a workman and tell 
him to lay in a supply of palm-leaf fans, too, as 
he's going where it's warm. Ticket him through 
and he'll show up all right even if he does cross 
a few 'wet' states ; he always arrives on time, drunk 
or sober." 

"I'll see him properly started," John smiled. 

The two brothers departed. It was nearly seven 
o'clock as they left the office and the homeward 
flow of folk had subsided, leaving the streets com- 
paratively empty. At the telegraph stand near the 
elevators at the entrance of the building they turned 
aside to dispatch a message to the Martinsport of- 
fice notifying it of Bob's leaving and another to 
Fred's wife. 

"Two wires for you just came in," the operator 
informed John Stokes. And he passed them across 
the counter. 



WHO IS THE ENEMY? 55 

"From Alice. Says, 'Fred resting easy,' " John 
stated, handing the first to his brother. 

"Good boy! I'll bet he'll disgust the doctor by 
getting well and whole again in double-quick time." 

His satisfaction was quick to appear. He clicked 
his tongue between his teeth, clapped his brother 
John on the shoulder and added a word about no 
one being able to kill a Stokes with a mere piece of 
lumber, the Stokes family having invented lumber. 

"This one is from the office," John said, who had 
been scanning the second telegram. "Here it is: 
'Imperative another member firm come Martinsport 
immediately have just learned injunction pending 
to tie up plant will engage lawyer to try prevent it 
and will keep work going till arrival await answer 
E. Durand.' Time you were getting down there, 
Bob," John continued, with his jaw growing hard. 
"Not satisfied with laying Fred out with a lot of 
broken bones, whoever's managing this conspiracy is 
going to jump us and garrote us legally too if they 
can, along with their other dirty work. At any rate, 
a suit will give you a chance to find out who is con- 
cerned, if you probe deep enough. Damn 'em, once 
we get our claws on their windpipe there'll be no 



mercy 



"Exactly so, none, none whatever. We go the 
full limit now," Bob answered, "both ways and 
across." 

"And don't hesitate to draw for any money you'll 
want. Wire me, that's all. I'll see that you have 
it. And keep me advised every day ; do the wiring 



56 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

yourself in our private code. I'm not going to sit 
idle." 

Bob read the second telegram again. 

"Who's this Durand?" he inquired. 

"Office man, I guess. Appears efficient and not 
afraid of responsibility, by his messages. He sent 
the first, of the accident." 

"I'll buy him a cigar and raise his salary for this," 
said Bob. "He deserves it for standing up to the 
fight" 



V 



THE GIRL IN CHARGE 

THE wall clock in the outer office of Stokes Broth- 
ers had just struck four when Robert Stokes opened 
the screen door and entered. The offices were in 
the end nearest the shipyard gate of a long, low 
building covered with galvanized iron, the greater 
part of which was used as a warehouse. On his ar- 
rival in Martinsport Stokes had gone immediately 
to his brother's dwelling, where to his immense re- 
lief he found his brother Frederic suffering no 
injuries beyond those of broken bones and elated 
that the young fellow had come. An hour's dis- 
cussion of business before luncheon and another 
parley afterwards of equal length the limit set by 
the doctor resulted in Bob's going to town and dis- 
patching a long telegram to John Stokes at Seattle. 
Bob had then pursued his way to the shipyard. 

As he advanced to the counter that fenced off 
half of the office, he directed an appraising glance 
about. It had the usual furnishings of such a place. 
A few chairs sat outside the counter; inside were 
filing-cases, safe, tables and the like. On a high 
stool a thin, middle-aged man worked on a ledger 
lying open on the tall desk before him. He did 

57 



58 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

not look up at Stokes' entrance but continued to 
ply his pen steadily and smoothly, showing only his 
profile. Standing by the safe and gazing morosely 
out a window was a second person, a short bullet- 
headed youth. 

He presently turned his head about to view the 
visitor, without troubling to remove his hands from 
his trousers' pockets or to alter his position. Neither 
his features nor his apparel impressed Stokes fa- 
vorably. His forehead was low, his ears prominent, 
and a half -smoked cigarette hung from his lower 
lip. A scowl, apparently at the interruption to his 
thoughts, darkened his face as he eyed the stranger. 
He wore a pink shirt, with the sleeves rolled to his 
elbows, a flaring yellow-and-green striped scarf, 
and trousers of bright blue serge a color scheme 
of contrasting violence beside the plain black of 
the book-keeper, or Stokes' own simple gray. 

Stokes pushed back his straw hat and scrutinized 
the other. A suspicion had instantly begun to eddy 
in his mind. If the firm's enemies had a tool inside 
the shipyard, this fellow was in all probability the 
man. He had all the ear-marks of one who would 
sell out his employers for money. He was in the 
office where he knew what was being done and could 
thus pass on the information to others. Without 
himself directly acting, he could advise the plotters 
so that they might cunningly prepare and carry 
out their veiled attacks. Bob felt a quick beat of 
satisfaction ; he had opened up a lead the minute he 
had set foot in the shipyard. 



THE GIRL IN CHARGE 59 

The other spoke. 

"Nothing doing. Not buying anything to-day." 

The utterance was manifestly intended to fore- 
stall and dispose of any salesmanship line of talk, 
He had evidently decided Stokes had something to 
sell. And, moreover, in his present sour spirits he 
viewed the other's cheerful mien with strong dis- 
favor. 

"Are you the manager here?" Stokes inquired. 

"No." 

"What is your official position, then?" 

"I'm a clerk and nothing official about it, 
either." 

At this minute the book-keeper laid down his pen 
and swung about on his stool. He wore nose- 
glasses, through which he peered at Stokes with the 
vague fixedness of the near-sighted person. These, 
and his thin serious face, gave him an aspect of 
professorial gravity, in marked contrast to the 
youth's air of pugnacious gloom. But he displayed 
no indication of interjecting himself into the dis- 
cussion. 

Bob Stokes placed his hat upon the counter, drew 
forth a handkerchief and wiped the perspiration 
from his face. 

"So you're not buying anything to-day?" he re- 
marked. 

"No." 

"Well, what are you doing for Stokes Brothers 
besides dragging at that cigarette on your lip?" 
Bob inquired. 



60 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

The other thrust out his jaw and drew down his 
bullet head, as if he were about to butt. 

"Say, are you trying to start something around 
here ?" he demanded, in a hostile tone. 

"I'll decide that presently." Stokes tossed one 
of his business cards upon the counter. "After 
you've taken a look at that. And if I start some- 
thing, I'll finish it. Now step up here and glue your 
glim on this pasteboard and learn that courtesy is 
as necessary in an office as ink even to a man with 
something to sell. Stokes Brothers, for that mat- 
ter, sell things too." 

"Humph," the clerk grunted. 

After a first surprised stare on hearing Bob's 
speech he advanced doggedly, picked up the card, 
and read the engraved name. For a little his ex- 
pression retained its obstinacy, as if he did not catch 
the card's full significance, then his neck and face 
and ears went bright crimson. 

He laid the card down. 

"You're right," said he. "And I've tied a can on 
myself." 

He began to roll down his sleeves, with a sort of 
determination. As he crossed to a hook and re- 
moved his coat and hat, Stokes watched him in- 
terestedly. 

"Where are you going?" he asked. 

"To look for a new job. I'm fired, ain't I ?" 

"Not by me." 

The clerk gazed at him in bewilderment. 



THE GIRL IN CHARGE 61 

"You mean you're keeping me after that talk I 
handed you, Mr. Stokes?" 

"We can use you yet, I guess." 

The other continued to stare, while the fact perco- 
lated through his brain. In one hand he held his 
hat, in the other his coat trailed on the floor. He 
looked as it he had received a jolt between the eyes. 

"Huh, I thought I'd queered myself for good," 
said he. 

"Well, you haven't yet." 

The slight intonation of the last word went un- 
heeded by the clerk. Under ordinary circumstances 
Stokes might have let him proceed on his way un- 
stopped, but convinced as he was that the young 
fellow was worth watching he resolved to retain 
him for purposes of observation. 

"Much obliged to you, Mr. Stokes; I'll remember 
what you said about courtesy," the youth stated, 
somewhat sheepishly. 

"All right, Andrews your name is Andrews, I 
think?" 

"Yes, sir. Bill Andrews." 

"And yours, Mocket?" Stokes added, turning to 
the book-keeper. 

The latter lowered himself from his stool, re- 
moved his nose-glasses and walked forward. 

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. 
Stokes," he said, extending a hand. "We were not 
aware you had arrived. It was a very unfortunate 
accident that occurred to your brother; he's resting 
comfortably, I understand." 



62 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

With his glasses off he looked a trifle younger. 
The seriousness of his lean, smooth-shaven face was 
relieved by a black brilliancy of the eyes which was 
not lessened by their impaired vision. His hair 
thinned in front in premature baldness, Stokes ob- 
served, partly accounted for his ascetic appearance. 

For a few minutes Stokes chatted with him of his 
brother's condition, at the same time noting that 
Andrews who had hung up his coat and hat again 
continued to stare his way in contemplative silence, 
his hands once more in his pockets, his head lower- 
ed in bull-dog fashion. Bob renewed his resolution 
to smoke out that young fellow. 

Presently he nodded to Mocket and moved to- 
wards the door of the inner office. There was a 
faint, hurried swish of skirts as he approached it. 
When he stepped inside, a young lady sat at a 
typewriter desk in apparent absorption in a letter 
but with evident signs of just that instant having 
seated herself. Stokes was confident that she had 
barely gained the chair before his entrance. For 
one thing, there was a suspicious pink in her face. 

"I heard you, so you needn't pretend to have 
been reading the letter," he said, grinning. "You 
had hopped over to the door when Andrews and I 
were exchanging ideas, ready to burst out and stop 
the melee if there was one. Isn't that the case, Miss 
Durand? You're Miss Durand, of course, who 
sent the telegrams." 

The color in the girl's cheeks had heightened as 
she was apprised of the failure of her retreat. In 



THE GIRL IN CHARGE 63 

some embarrassment she arose and shook hands 
with Stokes. 

"Well, I was there, yes," she acknowledged. 
"But I wasn't hiding, as might appear. Mr. An- 
drews didn't know who you were, while I did I 
knew you were coming. So when he started to 
argue I jumped up to tell him your name. I reached 
the door and was standing in it as he read your card, 
but neither of you were looking my way. Then I 
just remained to hear what you had to say regarding 
your brother we've all been anxious about him, 
you know. Finally I realized what you might think 
if you saw me there in the door listening, and and 
retired." 

"I'd have thought it nothing out of the way at 
all," Bob assured her. 

"It wouldn't have appeared polite, at any rate," 
she said. 

One would not have called her in the least pretty 
that is, pretty in the sense the word is so fre- 
quently used to indicate soft regularity of features, 
without character. Her black hair was thick and 
rebellious, especially about her small fine ears; her 
dark eyes glowed from beneath brows level and 
heavy; her lips were of a warm red, but with a little, 
curious, upward twitch at one corner. It was this 
tiny quirk of the mouth that drew one's attention. 
It gave the face a subtle animation. One grew ex- 
pectant at seeing it, felt an aroused interest, and 
was impelled to lift a look to her eyes to seek a 
meaning. 



64 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Bob Stokes seated himself near by. 

"My brother tells me that you've been the real 
manager here since he was injured," he stated. 
"And I shall write to J. C. at Seattle that E. Durant, 
who sent those very business-like wires, is not a 
young man at all as we had supposed." And he 
smiled as he recalled his words to his brother John 
that he would buy a cigar for the sender of the mes- 
sages and give a "raise" in salary. Well, he would 
see to the salary increase, at any rate. 

"I've not been exactly the boss," said she, "But 
I've helped a little bit in keeping the wheels moving 
until you came. The correspondence, however, has 
been largely routine; here are some letters I'm get- 
ting out now." She laid her hand on a pile of 
sheets resting beside her machine. "We had a good 
supply of material on hand, fortunately, when Mr. 
Frederic Stokes was hurt, and in addition Mr. Mul- 
house, the superintendent, has told me what was 
needed and I ordered it. And finally I hired and 
fired a few men, using the common term." 

"Hiring and firing is the test of whether one's 
the boss," he rejoined, with a flicker of amuse- 
ment. 

"The authority didn't actually rest in me, 
though," she went on. "You see, it's Mr. Mul- 
house's business to employ and to discharge work- 
men, and I only approved formally what he did 
when he reported the removals. He knew, of 
course, I was just rubber-stamping them with an 
O.K." 



THE GIRL IN CHARGE 65 

The odd twitch at the corner of her mouth deep- 
ened as if she were about to laugh, or exclaim, 
or put a question Bob Stokes could not tell which. 
But instead of doing any of the three, she remained 
gazing at him with a veiled dusky look in her eyes, 
utterly at variance with the rest of her expression, 
apparently taking stock of this new member of the 
company and forming unvoiced, private conclusions 
regarding him and his ability to step into his broth- 
er's shoes. 

Bob glanced about the room. 

"That's Frederic's desk yonder, I suppose," said" 
he. "I'll use it." He arose, went to the door, 
closed it. "Now we'll get busy what about this 
lawsuit you wired of?" he asked, when he had re- 
turned. "Has it been started? My brother ap- 
peared not to know about it, for he did not speak 
of it in our talk; nor did I mention the subject, as 
it would only cause him useless worry. You learned 
of it since he was hurt, I judge, or about the time, 
as your telegram was dispatched the same day. 
Is that correct ?" 

"Yes; that noon. I intended to inform Mr. 
Stokes of what I had accidentally heard, but did not 
get to do so before his mishap." 

"Accidentally heard, you say?" 

"Quite by chance," she nodded. "A woman of 
the name of Gaudreault had been doing some sew- 
ing for me. Her little boy brought the things home 
that noon and began talking, saying that his mother 
would sew no more for anybody soon when they 



66 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

were rich. I was amused. I asked him if they 
were going to be very rich and he said 'y es / that 
his father had found out he owned the ground the 
shipyard was on and had hired a lawyer to get it. 
At that, I set out to learn all about the matter. A 
lawyer has been coming to their house and telling 
them of the thing, he said. The boy was not very 
clear, but I discovered enough to know a suit was 
contemplated on the ground of the man being the 
rightful heir, or because of imperfect title, or some- 
thing of that kind. But no suit has yet been brought 
against the company I've telephoned the court 
house every day and been ready to engage an at- 
torney the instant I knew it had been begun." 

"I'll look into the matter. Thank you for guard- 
ing our interests so carefully. Now tell me, have 
any more accidents occurred in the yard since my 
brother has been absent?" 

"Nothing of importance, Mr. Stokes." 

The young fellow reflected for a little time. 

"You were in my brother's confidence to the de- 
gree of knowing his opinion about what's been going 
on here, Miss Durand, because he dictated to you the 
private letters he wrote our office at Seattle. What 
do you think about these happenings?" 

Her face grew more serious. She hesitated be- 
fore speaking. 

"As Mr. Frederic Stokes stated the case in the 
correspondence, his view was very convincing," she 
said. "I've thought about the matter a great deal 
since he was hurt and been uneasy. I'm greatly 



THE GIRL IN CHARGE 67 

relieved that you're here. And something did hap- 
pen too to make me anxious. Not an accident, but 
something else." A shadow of perplexity appeared 
upon her face, and she stared past him in a sudden 
intentness of thought. "Yes, I'm quite sure about 
it." 

"What occurred?" he asked. 

"It had to do with the letter files there." She 
pointed at the cases. "Two nights ago some one 
went through them. I always straighten them at 
the end of the day, leaving them in order. When 
I opened one of the drawers yesterday morning, 
the envelopes in it did not look exactly as they 
should. A few of them were sticking up more than 
I ever have them, very little, but yet more. One 
notices a change like that, or perhaps feels it. You 
could tell if some one had moved things in your 
desk, couldn't you?" 

"Yes," Stokes replied. 

"Well, that was how I knew. And on running 
through the envelopes I found a letter or two dis- 
placed." 

"Anything gone?" 

"Not that I could discover." 

"Were Frederic's confidential letters there?" 

The girl shook her head. 

"Mr. Stokes took home that correspondence. He 
said any one who had a mind to do so could pry 
open one of these windows. But the windows have 
not been tampered with, so far as I could find." 



68 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Have you any suspicion who ransacked the 
files?" 

Involuntarily her eyes sought the door to the 
outer office. Then glancing back and perceiving his 
look on her, she showed a trace of confusion. Af- 
terwards she busied herself tucking up the hair 
about her ears. 

"No," said she, finally. 

"Are those men out there trustworthy?" he in- 
quired. "How about Mocket" she shook her head 
"well, Andrews?" 

Her lips were compressed and her hands con- 
tinued busy with her hair. She was not looking at 
Stokes. 

"No," said she, now with a swift furtive glance 
at him. 

"They have keys to the building, of course." 

"But not to this door." 

Stokes arose and sauntered to one of the win- 
dows. He seemed to hear an expelled breath, as 
of relief. He could almost feel her eyes, veiled by 
their long black lashes, gazing inscrutably at his 
back. Her manner when he spoke of Andrews 
refuted her words but why was she shielding the 
fellow? He stared thoughtfully through the open 
window at the eastern pier. A gentle wind was 
blowing towards the shipyard. Suddenly he swung 
about with a dark face. She drew back, showing 
a flutter of alarm. 

"What's this awful smell I'm getting?" he de- 
manded. 



THE GIRL IN CHARGE 69 

The anxiety died out of her eyes; she broke into 
a laugh. 

"Rotting oyster shell at the canneries. You gave 
me a scare I thought you had seen something ter- 
rible." 

Bob Stokes turned again to the window and 
sniffed. 

"I don't need to see it, I smell it," said he. 



VI 

BOB STOKES INVESTIGATES 

BEFORE work stopped that afternoon Bob Stokes 
made a tour of the yard. He knew nothing about 
building ships. He knew that he knew nothing 
about ship-building. However, Mulhouse, the su- 
perintendent, an oldish New Englander, possessed 
in a high degree the knowledge of construct- 
ing wooden vessels, that almost forgotten but sud- 
denly revived craft; which was all the business 
needed. The task confronting the young fellow was 
of a different character. He must fend off future 
attacks upon the plant and if possible run the plot- 
ters out into the broad light of day. 

He located Mulhouse overseeing work on the 
newer of the boats. After making himself known 
and chatting for a time on cursory subjects, Bob 
drew the superintendent aside. 

"My brother tells me you believe as he does," 
said he, "that the delays and the accidents, including 
his own, which have occurred here are the result of 
deliberate plotting." 

Mulhouse pulled his gray beard and nodded. 

"No question of some one causing the trouble," 
he stated. 

70 



BOB STOKES INVESTIGATES 71 

"Nothing has happened since he was hurt, 
though." 

"No, but I'm expecting a jab most any time. 
They may try to get you or me next." 

"You're no wiser yet as to who dropped the plank 
on my brother, I take it?" 

"No. Haven't an inkling. There's always more 
or less loose lumber lying about on the scaffolds. 
A fellow could give a board a shove off with his 
foot as F. W. went along underneath and be at work 
again in an instant. The other men, being busy, 
wouldn't see." 

"There can be no large number of men disloyal 
to our interests, or you would know it, wouldn't 
you?" 

"Yes. It would become known. We've dis- 
charged several workmen, those responsible for de- 
lays," Mulhouse said. "I doubt if there are more 
than two or three in the pay of the outsiders, and 
they have a leader, of course. I still have a feeling, 
Mr. Stokes, that there's some German alien's hand 
in this, though your brother's opinion is different. 
I'm watching a man or two." 

Bob Stokes observed for a little time the carpen- 
ters at work on the skeleton hull. An incessant 
hammering went on along the length of the building 
vessel; the intermittent screech of a planer sounded 
from somewhere in the yard; there came an occa- 
sional dull clap of dropped boards. 

"F. W. has an idea he wants us to try out," Bob 
remarked, presently. "He's been thinking condi- 



72 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

tions over since he's been laid up and believes the 
way to prevent future trouble is to enlist the work- 
men on our side." 

Mulhouse drew out a pocket-knife. He bent and 
picked up a stick, then began to whittle. 

"Go ahead," said he. 

"There are some of the foremen, and likewise 
some workmen, whom you know to be trustworthy. 
The names of a few of them probably come into 
your mind at once." 

"Yes." 

"Well, Frederic's plan is to tell them confiden- 
tially what we suspect and set them to work among 
the men. They in turn will know others who can 
be trusted. And the scheme looks good. When 
they realize that it's their bread and butter that's 
really being endangered by these insidious attempts 
to destroy the plant, they will rally to catch the 
traitors. They'll be guards as well as workmen. 
Their ears and eyes will be open for anything that 
looks suspicious; and if in time we don't lay hands 
on the men we want, I'm badly mistaken." 

Mulhouse finished shaving his stick to a fine 
point. Then he tossed it down, closed his knife, 
looked at his watch and jerked a thumb towards 
the yard gate. 

"It's quitting time in five minutes," he announced. 
"There are seven men I think of now whom we will 
want. I'll go round and give them a quiet word to 
busy themselves at something until the other fellows 
have gone, then to join me at the office." 



BOB STOKES INVESTIGATES 73 

"This spot here is better. No need of Andrews 
or Mocket knowing anything about it," said Stokes. 
"How long does it take the yard to empty out?" 

"Fifteen or twenty minutes." 

"All right. I'll be around then." 

Bob returned to the office. Mocket was putting 
his account books in the safe. Andrews was in the 
inner office, helping Miss Durand seal and stamp 
the letters she had typed. At Stokes' entrance he 
showed a little confusion, but went on with his work 
until the envelopes were finished. 

"I wasn't sure you were still here," the girl said, 
"so I signed the correspondence, as I've been doing 
heretofore. I usually take it up town, when I go, 
to mail in the post office." 

"That's right. I didn't wish to begin on office 
matters until to-morrow." 

Andrews stood by holding the letters, a slight 
cloud on his face, not looking at Stokes but con- 
scious nevertheless of the other's gaze resting on 
him. The girl glanced once or twice at the pair 
while closing her desk, then went to a closet for her 
hat. Here and there along the water front whistles 
began to blow. The shipyard, as if by magic, ceased 
to resound with the noise of labor. 

The girl came forward, giving a push to a pin in 
her hat. 

"I'm ready, Mr. Andrews." Addressing Stokes, 
she said, "If you'll pull the door close when you go 
out, it will lock itself. I'll snap on the spring now. 
Good evening, Mr. Stokes." 



74 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Good evening," he replied. 

Andrews nodded, but did not speak. The two 
passed out. Stokes walked slowly to the doorway, 
staring whither the young fellow had followed the 
girl out. 

"Humph," said he. 

"Were you speaking to me?" Mocket inquired, 
turning about from giving the knob of the safe a 
whirl. 

"No, I wasn't saying anything in particular," 
Bob stated. 

The cashier placed his straw hat on his head, 
tucked away his eye-glasses in their case. His 
spare, black-garbed figure appeared thinner than 
ever. 

"I hope you will find the south enjoyable, Mr. 
Stokes," he said, before departing. "But after a 
city the size of Seattle, you'll find Martinsport dull, 
I imagine." 

"The shipyard will keep me too busy to notice it, 
in all probability." 

"Possibly. There are few amusements, in any 
case." 

The statement stirred a faint interest in Stokes. 
Mocket looked like a person whose amusements 
would end with a picture show and a lecture course. 

The workmen were streaming out the gate when 
Bob stepped forth from the building. They were, 
on the whole, a solid, intelligent, industrious-look- 
ing body of men and supported the belief that they 
would respond to an appeal to aid in stamping 



BOB STOKES INVESTIGATES 75 

treachery out of the plant. Strains of French, Ger- 
man or Scandinavian blood appeared here and there 
in faces that were as equally dependable as those 
of their fellows. Groups of lumber-handlers, roust- 
abouts and the like laughing and joking among 
themselves, made a part of the number. Alto- 
gether, the workmen formed the mixed, sturdy, 
honest class of toilers that constitutes the mass of 
loyal Americans; and at the sight Bob Stokes felt 
new confidence. 



About eight o'clock that evening Bob approached 
a house on a side street in a quarter of the town 
where small and somewhat shabby cottages pre- 
dominated. Though after sunset, it was still light. 
Observing the street numbers of the dwellings as 
he proceeded, he at last halted before one whose 
meager front yard was grassless and littered with 
the refuse of slattern housekeeping. The gate hung 
by a single hinge. Several dirty children squabbled 
and played just inside. Entering, he advanced and 
knocked on the door. 

To his inquiry for Mr. Gaudreault a worn and 
untidy woman with a babe in her arms responded 
that her husband had just gone down town. He 
had just gone, she repeated. She even accompanied 
Bob to the gate and pointed along the street, where 
a man some distance away could be seen. 

"That is him, see," she said. "He goes on busi- 
ness." 



76 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

The words were uttered with extreme satisfac- 
tion. 

"I can overtake him," Stokes said; and thanked 
her. 

"You are a lawyer, eh? Perhaps about the law- 
suit," she inquired, with a cunning smile. Then 
she turned to cuff a child who pulled at her skirt. 

"Oh, no. I'm no lawyer; I only hire labor," 
Stokes replied. 

"Jean, he is now working on Simmons' boat, 
shrimping." She gave a shake of her head. "No, 
he's not for hire this time." 

"Then he can't be had?" 

"No he's shrimping." 

Stokes moved away from the house at a leisurely 
pace, until by a look over his shoulder he perceived 
the woman had retired from the gate, whereupon he 
adopted a rapid stride. The figure of Gaudreault 
was three squares in advance of him, but Bob rapid- 
ly cut down the intervening space. When the wom- 
an's husband came upon the main business street, 
the young fellow was but a scant half -square be- 
hind. He gradually reduced the distance until the 
man moved only a few paces in front. 

Gaudreault was short and stocky, of medium age. 
At one corner he loitered to exchange a word with 
an acquaintance, at the same time lighting a ciga- 
rette. Bob passed him and paused in a doorway. 
Presently, flinging a word back at his friend and 
showing his white teeth under his silky black mus- 
tache, the man proceeded along the street, on 



BOB STOKES INVESTIGATES 77 

which the evening crowd was idly strolling. Once 
the man halted before a "movie" show, studying 
the lithographs of a girl leaping from a moving 
freight train; again he stopped before a glass win- 
dow to adjust his tie and cock anew his vivid green 
hat. But at last he entered the corridor of a six- 
story office building, where as the elevators had 
ceased running he began to mount the stair. 

He went no higher than the first flight. Bob 
heard his feet cross the hall, then came the faint 
echoing sound of a knock, next the opening and 
closing of a door. Three steps at a time Stokes 
sprang lightly up after him. When he arrived at 
the top he halted to listen. For a time he heard 
nothing, but presently imagined that he distinguish- 
ed muffled tones. Across from him appeared to be 
a suite of rooms, apparently spacious and consti- 
tuting the offices of one person at any rate, on one 
door only appeared a name. It was not until the 
fourth door down the hall, on that side, that other 
names were in evidence. 

Tiptoeing across until he stood under the open 
transom of the door, he made out that two men were 
talking. The speech of one was measured, com- 
posed; that of the other brief and respectful 
Gaudreault's. Now and again a word or a scrap of 
a sentence floated out to the hearer, but beyond per- 
ceiving that the discussion was of the lawsuit and 
Gaudreault and the shipyard, Stokes was unable to 
follow the talk, which was conducted at the oppo- 
site side of the room. After some fifteen minutes 



78 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

he heard the speakers drawing near. Slipping along 
the wall, he gained the stair leading to the floor 
above, where he crouched in concealment. 

The door opened. 

"Remember carefully what you're to do, Gaudre- 
ault," said a voice. 

"Yes, yes. I make no mistake." 

"Then tell me," the first continued. 

"Ver' well. I go to Johnson's bank and beg to 
borrow five hundred dollars. When I am refuse, 
I beg to see Mr. Johnson, who ask me why I want 
so much money. Then I say because I own the 
shipyard and will be rich. So, eh ?" 

' Tres bon, Jean. To-day is Tuesday; you will 
go to the bank Friday." 

"And when will the lawyer get a move on him, 
ha?" 

"Saturday, I think. He should be ready to file 
the suit by then. And tell your woman again not 
to gossip to any one of this affair, understand?" 

"Yes, yes, yes!" 

"When you've been to the bank, I'll advise you 
further. That's all for to-night. And mind, it's 
always the lawyer and you in this suit never men- 
tion my name! Deny it if Johnson or any one 
else tries to pump you." 

A laugh came from Gaudreault's lips. 

"I will put it across 'em for that!" he declared. 

He scuffled across the hallway and went clatter- 
ing down the stair. His erstwhile companion re- 
mained unmoving, until Gaudreault's feet passed 



BOB STOKES INVESTIGATES 79 

off the pavement of the corridor below, then he ex- 
claimed, "Ye gods, what rank stuff that fellow 
smokes!" and reentered the room. 

Stokes lifted his head, discovering that the door 
had been left open. He dared not now risk a re- 
treat. But his wait was brief; five minutes later 
he heard the occupant step forth, close the door 
behind him and go down to the street. Bob hastened 
after the other when assured it was safe. At the 
curb outside a slender gentleman with a dark strik- 
ing face, wearing a Vandyke tinged with gray, was 
stepping into a sumptuous touring car. The negro 
chauffeur reaching back snapped the door shut and 
immediately swung the motor car out into the 
street. 

"Who is that gentleman?" Bob asked of a police- 
man nearby. 

"In the auto there? Broussardiishis name. Owns 
half the town." 



VII 

IN THE WOODS 

DARKNESS was closing down over the city as Bob 
Stokes made his way to the shipyard. Never one to 
fail to make the most of his time, especially when 
matters were pressing, he planned on a certain 
amount of night work. He needed to familiarize 
himself with the business details, secure at once a 
grasp of the main elements and features, load his 
head with facts. And this required a vigorous at- 
tack on the office correspondence, reports and esti- 
mates. After a tour of the yard with the head night 
watchman to examine the lights which had been 
strung about the building vessels and to inspect the 
arrangement of guards, he returned to the office 
where he plunged into work. 

At about half -past ten the telephone rang in the 
outer office. Going to it he answered the call. 

"Well, that's you, is it?" said a rough voice. 
"Thought I might catch you there. We're going up 
the line in the morning and fix those cars of lumber 
to-morrow night like you said, so have the rest of 
that money ready when we get back. And we'll col- 
lect it just the same if the cars ain't sent out, for 
that part's up to you." 

80 



IN THE WOODS 81 

"What's that?" Stokes demanded. 

"I say we collect if they miss dropping those cars. 
We ain't working for nothing." 

"What cars and what money are you talking 
about?" Bob questioned. 

"Say, who's this anyway ? Ain't you Loosen 

up there, who are you?" 

"This is Stokes' shipyard." 

"Well" a slight pause followed "wrong num- 
ber." And the speaker abruptly hung up. 

Stokes quickly rang up central and inquired who 
had just called. Presently he was informed the call 
had been made through a public pay station. So he 
was halted short in that direction but he went back 
to his desk with the conviction that the man at the 
other end of the wire had lied. His tone had con- 
tained a false note ; he had not had the wrong num- 
ber. That being so, whom had he expected to talk 
with? was it a shipment of Stokes' lumber that 
was concerned ? what did the fellow mean by "fix 
those cars" ? and who was paying money for "fix- 
ing" them? At any rate, some one in the office 
force was mixed up in the mysterious transaction; 
and the person could be only the young chap upon 
whom his suspicions had already centered An- 
drews. 

Determined to get to the bottom of the thing, he 
learned from Miss Durant next morning that ten 
cars of lumber were to be started from the mill at 
Hanlon fifty miles in the interior on Freight No. 15 
that night The office had been so advised by the 



82 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

manager of the lumber company two or three days 
before when he had been telephoned regarding the 
shipment. Mocket or Andrews usually kept after 
the lumber orders in order to have the material mov- 
ing down regularly. Yes, she stated, there had been 
some delays in the past, but Mr. Stokes before he 
was hurt had always overcome them and made a 
point to keep a good supply of lumber ahead. It 
was necessary to have orders delivered regularly to 
maintain the reserve. 

Bob Stokes thereupon took his hat and went to 
railroad headquarters, where he interviewed the di- 
vision superintendent. Later in the day he went 
north to Hanlon on a passenger train, accompanied 
by a man from the superintendent's office. Occupy- 
ing an hour or two there in discussion of business 
with the mill manager, he and his companion from 
Martinsport proceeded to the railway yard where 
Freight No. 15 lay ready to depart, located the ten 
cars of lumber near the forward end of the train, 
and then climbed aboard the caboose. 

"If there's any dirty work done the train crew 
will have to be in on it," said the man from head- 
quarters, whose name was Dessler. "Well, we'll 
know more about it before morning." 

The conductor soon entered, a short grimy-faced 
individual, his brass badge fastened to his black 
slouch hat, a lantern on his arm, a lump of tobacco 
in his cheek. 

"Can't ride with us, boys," he said briskly. "This 
freight doesn't carry passengers." 



IN THE WOODS 83 

Dessler handed him an order. The man read it 
and then looked his visitors over with a trace of 
suspicion upon his face. 

"All right; you can stretch out on these cushions," 
said he. "You'll find it rough going." 

"Oh, we can stand it one night," Dessler an- 
swered, amicably. "Want to be on hand in town 
when some cotton you're carrying arrives." There 
were several cars of cotton in the train, as the 
speaker had learned. "Get there about five, don't 
you?" 

"If we're on time." 

The conductor moved away, turned and gave 
Stokes and Dessler a second brief inspection, ap- 
peared to be satisfied and went out. 

By midnight they had passed through two towns, 
where a few cars were switched off and one or two 
picked up. At each station Dessler disappeared, re- 
joining Stokes only as the freight pulled out. It 
was as they were rumbling forward towards the 
third stop that a scrap of conversation between the 
conductor and brakeman reached Bob's ears. 

"Damned funny! Something's holding up or- 
ders; don't get them till we're ready to beat it." 

"Wire trouble, I reckon." 

"Hasn't been any storm. Kept us waiting five 
minutes there at Ennis when we might have been 
pounding the rails." 

"We can make it up at Cartersford; no work 
there." 






84 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Don't you believe it!" the conductor vociferated. 
"Got to set ten cars out on the old switch." 

The brakeman stared. 

"Those cars are chalked Martinsport Must be a 
mistake; there hasn't been a car run off on those 
streaks of rust since I can remember." 

"That's where they go, just the same. Don't 
know why, but they do. Billed to Cartersford." 

"What's the matter with you Martinsport!" 

"I'm running this train; do you get that? The 
scribble looks to me like Cartersford and that's what 
goes. Let 'em write out their orders plain if they 
don't want mistakes." 

"Set the cars off; it's your prayer-meeting," 
was the unconvinced reply. "But your own sense 
ought to tell you they don't belong back there in the 
woods, where even a car accountant couldn't find 
'em." 

"Orders are orders," was the answer. 

Stokes and Dessler, smoking and appearing ob- 
livious to everything but the jerking of the caboose, 
exchanged a nudge. 

Cartersford was a railway station and nothing 
else, a lone depot in the midst of pine woods. Per- 
haps there were a few shacks back in the trees, but 
they were not visible when Stokes followed Dess- 
ler forth upon the freight's halting. The engine 
was already drawing a string of cars, including 
Stokes' ten cars of lumber, up the track preparatory 
to switching work. 

The two men went forward to where a dim light 



IN THE WOODS 85 

showed in the depot building. Dessler made him- 
self known to the agent. 

"You have your instructions about releasing or- 
ders till I give the word?" 

"Yes," said the other. 

"When the crew come in asking for them, stall 
them off. Also wire in now for an order to pick 
up those cars here to be taken to Martinsport. These 
are the numbers. You'll receive the order imme- 
diately." 

The agent glanced at the list and began to tap 
his key. Directly a reply was obtained. 

"It's coming," said he, and seizing a pencil be 
began to write. Then he flung over his shoulder: 
"What's going on? Those cars aren't here?" 

"The crew is trying to stick them on an old siding 
somewhere hereabouts." 

"The devil they are! Are they crazy?" 

Dessler and Stokes left the building. Off at their 
left in the night they heard the engine puffing and 
beheld the faint flash of its headlight through the 
trees. 

"Now, we'll see what the rest of the play is," 
Dessler said. "Come along and don't get lost in 
the dark. I've a flash-light in my pocket, but we 
better not use it just yet." 

Following the track they discovered the switch 
and made their way along in the darkness. It was 
not easy going, for the gloom of the woods sur- 
rounded them and the long disused roadbed, evi- 
dently at some time laid to a lumber camp, was 



86 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

grass-grown and rutted. When they had covered 
a quarter of a mile, the engine's headlight became 
visible. A whistle sounded. 

"They're starting back. We'd better duck until 
they're past," Dessler said. 

When the returning engine and cars had gone 
by, they resumed their advance. At a point two 
hundred yards forward Stokes uttered a low excla- 
mation. A little way in front a lantern had moved 
into view. 

Cautiously now they proceeded until voices came 
to their ears. 

"Better eat our grub while we're waiting," said 
one. "Got to give that train time to leave." 

"I don't like this so well as I did, Pete. How we 
goin' to get away if the timber takes fire?" 

"Like we come, you fool! In the wagon. The 
timber won't burn much. Too wet and green." 

"Well, I don't know ; it's full of turpentine." 

"Oh, shut up! Maybe it'll burn till the fire 
reaches a clearing. We'll eat and then break open 
these doors and pour the oil over the lumber. Soon 
as we touch her off, we'll head for Martinsport. 
Thirty miles is all ; make it by daylight easy. And 
then we get the rest of the coin." 

"Who's puttin' up for this job, Pete? You ain't 
never told me. Come on, spit out his name." 

"Keep on guessing, for I'm not going to tell you." 

"You ain't no real pal or you'd unload his name." 

"Stow that. You're getting your share of the 



IN THE WOODS 87 

easy money ; that's enough. And there's to be more 
of it when this job is done." 

"There won't be any more for me, for I'm going 
to blow north." 

"Then you're a fool." 

"If you're a pal and want me to stay along, 
hand me out this fellow's name. I'm going to know 
as much as you do or we split." 

The discussion which had taken on an acrimoni- 
ous edge promised a quarrel. The pair during their 
wait in the woods had been helping themselves to 
liquor and the second man's curiosity in conse- 
quence had settled into a stubborn insistence, inter- 
larded as had been all their talk with oaths and 
curses. Stokes, on his part, was as eager to learn 
the men's employer as was the uninformed scoun- 
drel. 

"Well, don't make such a holler," Pete said. "I'm 
holdin' nothing out on you. We've been pals a long 
time, Jack, and we won't quit on account of this 
feller's name. His name is Smith." 

"Is that straight, Pete? Smith ain't no name; 
it's just a label. Too many Smiths for that." 

"He says his name is Smith and I asks no ques- 
tions. His money is what talks with me. 

Stokes' keen anticipation evaporated in disap- 
pointment. He had hoped to learn to a certainty the 
man instigating the subtle attacks upon his company. 
If Smith were really the congnomen of the chief 
plotter, then the man was a stranger. But if, as he 



88 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

guessed, it was but an alibi, he still was none the 
wiser. 

The two disreputables, continuing their talk, went 
with their lantern to a spot on one side of the track, 
where sitting upon the ground they produced a bot- 
tle, had a drink apiece and opened a package of 
food. 

"Do you recognize one of those fellows as the 
man who called your office by telephone?" Dessler 
asked of Stokes. 

"That man named Pete." 

"You'll now run down the traitor in your em- 
ploy, of course. That is up to you. Meanwhile 
we'll grab these chaps. Steal up on them quietly till 
we're near enough to cover them with our guns. 
This isn't only your game remember, but the rail- 
road's as well; they plan to destroy our cars along 
with your lumber. It will be the pen for them!" 

Using stealth in their advance towards the pair of 
criminals, Stokes and Dessler proceeded until from 
a nearby bush they had a dim view of Pete and Jack 
and again could hear their rough talk. Close at 
hand and shining dully in the lantern's light were 
three square, tin, ten-gallon cans of oil, with which 
the men proposed to spray the cars and fire them. 
Where were tied the horses and wagon in which the 
hirelings had come, the observers could only guess, 
for neither animals nor vehicle were visible; no 
doubt, somewhere not far off in the darkness. 

Pete and Jack ate and conversed and grunted and 



IN THE WOODS 89 

occasionally washed their throats with a draught 
of whiskey. 

"Well, that train hasn't gone yet," the latter was 
saying. 

"They'll be pullin' along by the time we're done 
eatin'." the other answered. "Unloadin' some stuff, 
maybe." 

"Wonder how much the crew got for their end 
of this job." 

"Don't know and don't care. We'll get what's 
comin' to us; that's all I'm interested in, bo." A 
wave of a dirty hand emphasized his indifference 
to extraneous matters. 

At this instant Dessler touched Stokes' arm warn- 
ingly. The two listeners thereupon noiselessly 
stepped round their bush near to the seated men. 

"Take a look at this and see how it interests you," 
Dessler said to the speaker. 

With a start Pete jerked his face about towards 
the voice. What he saw appeared to interest him 
considerably. It was the muzzle of a revolver lev- 
eled at his eyes. 



VIII 

FIRST BLOOD 

"Hun," escaped Pete's lips. 

"Stick your fins up," was Dessler's command. 

Reluctantly Pete's hands went above his head, as 
did his companion's. But the men's surprise was 
only momentary; their faces grew vicious as they 
realized that they had been nabbed when they fan- 
cied themselves in greatest security. 

At Dessler's further order they got to their feet, 
while Bob Stokes searched them, removing a pistol 
from the hip pocket of each man. During the pro- 
cedure the prisoners exchanged furtive glances, 
though saying nothing. 

"Take the lantern," Dessler said to Stokes, "and 
lead the way with them, while I keep my gun on 
their backs." 

Bob stooped to lift the light. Like a flash Pete 
seized his shoulders, swung him about as a shield, 
gave a swift kick at the lantern that extinguished 
it and shattered its globe of glass. Impenetrable 
darkness shrouded the spot. A sound of running 
feet, at which Dessler fired once, twice, was heard 
the sound of the second man, Jack, fleeing away in 
the wood. 

90 



FIRST BLOOD 91 

With Pete, Stokes was rolling on the earth in a 
fierce hand to hand struggle. When Bob had felt 
his shoulders caught, he instantly flung his arms 
about the other's waist and hurled him down. Over 
and over on the pine mold they threshed, the man 
beating at Bob's head and trying to break his bear- 
hug, while Stokes squeezed his antagonist's body 
with arms hardened by toil in woods and lumber 
camps to the strength of iron. 

At last he had the savage scoundrel Pete's back 
upon the ground, where squirm as the man would 
he could not get free. Their breathings were audible 
to Dessler, who listened unable to distinguish their 
forms or to render assistance. Suddenly Bob 
slipped a hand out and dealt Pete a frightful smash 
in the face. A groan, a relaxing of the man's body, 
a stilling of his struggles, was the result. 

"Light a match," Bob said. 

Quickly Dessler did so, bending down and hold- 
ing the flame close over Pete's face. A dark trickle 
of blood ran from one nostril out over his cheek. 
The prostrate figure groaned, moved, became quiet 
again. 

"Good work," Dessler stated. "You knocked 
him out; he ought to be good now." 

Stokes hoisted himself off his opponent, got on 
one knee. The match flickered and died down to a 
coal between Dessler's fingers. As this happened, 
Pete groaned a third time. Then an oath exploded 
in his mouth. He whirled himself from beneath 
Bob's fingers resting on his chest and rolled noisily 



92 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

from the spot into a bush, tore himself out again 
while gaining his feet, eluded the men who had 
rushed at him and fled. Dessler could only shoot 
where he thought Pete might be, as he had done 
with the other scoundrel, futile shots. 

"Clumsy work on our part," he said to Stokes, in 
disgust. "No use trying to find them now. We 
didn't even get a good look at their faces, dim as 
that lantern was. Could you identify the pair if 
you saw them later?" 

"I doubt it unless by their voices." 

"Well, we saved the cars any way; we'll pour 
out this oil. Listen ! They're signaling each other." 

Off in the darkness they heard low quick whistles, 
then guarded calls. 

"We've their guns and their oil, so their teeth 
have been drawn," Stokes said. "And they'll no 
more know us by the glimpse they had than we'll 
know them. Very likely they'll lead their horses 
and wagon to a road and make the dust fly for 
town." 

"I'll send a wire through to headquarters to have 
the police on the lookout for them," Dessler stated. 
"But I imagine they will leave the wagon on the 
outskirts and sneak in. They will be aware that 
we're trying to head them off. Now we'll spill this 
oil and go to the depot. Those fellows won't come 
back, never fear, knowing we're about." 

The oil disposed of, Stokes and Dessler retraced 
their way along the old railway track until they came 
again to where the freight stood. The engine's 



FIRST BLOOD 93 

great beam illuminated the space in front; steam 
was hissing in the locomotive's valves ; but the train 
waited. 

Why it waited was apparent when the two men 
entered the depot. There the conductor and brake- 
man and engineer were fretting because of the un- 
reasonable delay. 

"All right, give 'em that late order," Dessler said 
to the agent, who immediately handed it forth to 
the conductor. 

"You been sitting here with orders all the time ?" 
that worthy shouted, "while we had to stand round 
waiting?" 

"Sure. Couldn't give them to you until Mr. Dess- 
ler said so." 

The engineer turned angrily on Dessler. 

"What have you got to do with it? Damned 
queer if this train can't start till a passenger gives 
the word. I'll have something to say when I get 
to headquarters." 

"You'll have a good deal to say and to explain; 
you're right about that," was the answer. "Now 
read that order, then go pick up those ten cars you 
hid back there in the timber." 

The conductor glared incredulously. Finally he 
examined the order and his grimy face grew dark. 

"Who faked this?" he demanded of the agent. 

"That's a straight order and you better get busy. 
I've instructions to report those cars out of here." 

"And I'm present to see that they do go out," 
Dessler said, thrusting his jaw close to the con- 



94 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

ductor's face. "What's more, if you don't pull them 
out of that brush back there at once I'll discharge 
you, hand the train over to the brakeman and take 
you into Martinsport under arrest." 

The conductor began to moisten his lips. 

"Say, what's the matter with you! I'm going 
to get them. But my original orders said they were 
to be shunted off here at " 

"You're a liar. You were paid to hide them in 
there. When we get to Martinsport we're going to 
sweat you till you come across with the man's 
name who is paying you too, you crook." 

"Nobody's paying me. It was a mistake, it was 
a mistake in the orders," the conductor declared, re- 
gaining his assurance. "You can sweat me for a 
month of Sundays, and fire me too, and I'll tell 
your whole bunch of officials you can't make me the 
goat for somebody else's mistake." 

"Go get those cars," Dessler ordered. 

The conductor who was about to speak again, 
closed his lips, swung about and followed by brake- 
man and engineer went out. 

"Give them the rest of the orders," Dessler told 
the agent, "when they come back. You can wire in 
that we're on our way when you see our tail lights." 

On the platform outside he and Stokes kept watch 
until the engine's headlight once more broke into 
view, returning from the wood. When it backed 
down on the main track and the men had by a per- 
sonal count assured themselves as to the cars, they 
footed it to the caboose. 



FIRST BLOOD 95 

"Dessler, I'm going to take you into my confi- 
dence," Bob Stokes remarked. "To-night's affair 
is part of a scheme to put our company out of busi- 
ness. My brother's injury, of which you've per- 
haps heard, was likewise a part of the secret attack. 
Some one is employing thugs, corrupting our work- 
men, harassing our yard. We don't know who, but 
we intend to find out." 

"I should think so!" 

"You'll probably discover that this conductor will 
stick to his claim of a mistake and as long as we 
can't produce the men who were to have destroyed 
the lumber and cars, our story won't amount to 
much in proving his connection. Probably he knew 
nothing of what was to be done when the cars were 
set off on that blind switch. The chief plotter 
alone holds all the strings, I imagine. If this fellow 
should be forced to confess, which I doubt will hap- 
pen, as he's a sullen brute and unquestionably well 
paid, we'd hear that his employer was 'Smith' as 
before." 

"Yes," Dessler replied, with a nod. 

"The men higher up are keeping concealed," 
Stokes went on. "But we have suspicions. There 
are five men in Martinsport called the Big Five 
you've heard of them." 

"Heard of them ? Who hasn't! I know them all. 
Great heavens, Stokes, you don't mean to tell me 
you believe these men are at the bottom of this vil- 
lainous plot against your concern? No, no; I'll 
never think that! They're sharp business men, but 



96 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

respected. They would never risk their position 
good Lord, no!" 

"I don't say they're responsible. But the two 
bankers are interested in our affairs, and all five of 
the men tried to force us to let them into our busi- 
ness. This man Main, one of them " 

" 'Gas' Main, yes," Dessler interrupted. "He's 
the one hard customer in the Big Five. He likes to 
use a club ; he imported a lot of strike-breakers here 
during the street car strike last summer, who beat 
up the local workmen pretty badly. He would go 
far to have his way. But still no, I put this sort 
of work past even him." 

"Well, Main and Derland have nothing to do with 
this assault on us, as far as I know," Stokes said. 
"They've displayed no interest in the business. I 
only suspect that the bankers would like to squeeze 
us; and I don't believe they would try to shanghai 
our shipyard criminally, from what I've been ad- 
vised. What, however, of the other fellow, Brous- 
sard?" 

"Broussard is as rich as sin, but he has a reputa- 
tion for being a good fellow and liberal to the poor. 
In fact, I know of poor families he has helped. 
Stokes, I can't credit any man of the Big Five en- 
gaged in a job like to-night's. Not a one of them 
would condescend to exchange two words with ruf- 
fians such as we routed out yonder." 

Stokes smote a fist upon his knee. 

"Just the same, this Broussard is setting an igno- 
rant Frenchman to suing us in the hope of tying our 



FIRST BLOOD 97 

yard up by an injunction. That's as bad as burn- 
ing our lumber or hitting us behind the ear with a 
rock; worse, in fact." 

"Still it's not the same. It's only legal sharp 
practice." 

"Of those five men, this Broussard I know is 
fighting us. I merely surmise that Johnson and Far- 
rington, from what my brother tells me, may be in 
the game; but they haven't disclosed their hand if 
they are. Main and Derland I count out of it alto- 
gether. But all five of the clique may be associated 
in the raid." 

"They frequently work together on a big deal," 
Dessler said. "But, no. This criminal affair isn't 
in their line. Main would use any means in a fight, 
for he's built that way a business ruffian. But he 
has sense too. And the rest wouldn't let him get 
out of bounds. Why, Johnson and Farrington are 
church pillars." 

"Fond of money, though, I've heard," was Bob's 
dry comment. "Some of the worst money-tigers 
I ever saw cover their backs and financial operations 
with a respectable church mantle." 

"Well, I'll stake my head you'll discover some 
one else is the author of these dangerous attempts 
against your firm." 

"What would be the motive ? German spy work ? 
No. It would not be limited to our ten cars of lum- 
ber if it were. An effort would be made to destroy 
the whole train and generally wreck your railroad 
service. Nothing to that. I can't figure out any 



98 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

reason whatever why any outsider apart from the 
five men mentioned, I mean should have a reason 
for putting us on the rocks." 

Dessler shook his head. 

"Nor can I, but such you will learn probably is 
the case." 

"One line is left me," Stokes said grimly. 

"What is that?" 

"The yellow-hearted scoundrel in our office who's 
selling us out. I've my eye on the man now, I think. 
I'll continue to give him more rope till I have him 
wound up good and tight; then I'll grab him by 
the throat. Of all traitors the worst is the fel- 
low who takes your money and at the same time be- 
trays you to an enemy! There will be no mercy 
from Stokes Brothers, believe me, once we catch 
this knave for sure. And through him we'll land 
the man or men who are profiting from his dis- 
loyalty." 

The train had already started from the station 
by now, and the conductor and brakeman at this 
moment entering the car the discussion ceased. The 
former glared at the two passengers with a belli- 
cose aspect that indicated he would be pleased to 
slay them on the cushions where they sat. But looks 
do not kill. 

"I thought you guys were 'spotters' when you 
first got aboard up the line," he sneered. "I'd take 
a smash at you for two-bits." 

Bob Stokes bounded to his feet. 

"I'm aching for you to try it, you thief !" he ex- 



FIRST BLOOD 99 

claimed. "You have the dirty money in your pocket 
this minute, I'm betting, that you took for sticking 
my cars of lumber on that rusty switch where they 
wouldn't be found for a month." 

"Here's where you eat those words," the other 
snarled. "No dressed up dude can give me that 
kind of talk without getting a come-back." And 
he promptly hung his lantern on a hook. 

Evidently he believed Stokes to be a dude. 
Though somewhat rumpled from his earlier strug- 
gle, Bob's light gray suit, white shoes and linen led 
the freight conductor to imagine he had found an 
easy victim on whom to vent his accumulated rage. 
He faced a discharge at Martinsport, at least, for 
which his ill-gotten gains would but partly com- 
pensate; he boiled to beat one or both of the men 
who had detected him in his deception. 

On his part, Bob Stokes was no less eager to sat- 
isfy an ardent longing for action, whetted by the 
escape of the hirelings in the woods and by his fail- 
ure to learn the instigator of the plot. For a few 
dollars the man before him had sold out his trust 
and his honor, if he ever had such. For a few dol- 
lars he had been ready to do his share to cripple the 
shipyard. And beyond "firing" him the railroad 
would be able to do nothing. He deserved more 
punishment and Bob was determined he should have 
it. 

The young brakeman in affright backed away 
from the spot, taking refuge at the end of the car. 



ioo THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Dessler glanced at Stokes, shrewdly smiled, and 
slipped away towards the door. 

A quick jab at Stokes was the trainman's opening. 

"Your face won't be so pretty when I'm done 
molding it," he grated, with an oath. 

Bob retreated slightly. Then like a flash he leaned 
forward and tapped the other on the nose with a 
sharp blow. The man blinked for an instant, after 
which a dark wave of blood surged into his grimy 
face. His lips curled back from his teeth exactly in 
the manner of a wild animal. 

With a sudden rush he launched himself at Stokes, 
raining swinging blows that the young fellow 
stopped with his guard. In the narrow space be- 
tween the two long seats there was no room to 
sidestep or circle about. But Stokes was the taller 
and had the longer reach, and in addition had not 
boxed in a Seattle athletic club to no avail. In an 
opening he swung a short uppercut to the man's jaw 
that sent his head back with a jerk, then followed it 
by a lively jolt on the solar plexus. 

"What led you to think you could fight?" Stokes 
asked, as the fellow stood in distress, his face turn- 
ing pale beneath its coating of coal-dust. 

Into the eyes of the man came a murderous gleam. 
Hurling himself forward he struck madly at the 
young fellow, cursing and snapping, kicking with 
his heavy shoes. The rocking, jerking motion of 
the car flung the pair together. Instantly the man 
was clawing at Stokes' face, but the latter shoved 
him back. 



FIRST BLOOD 101 

"I'll tear your black heart out!" the man howled, 
launching himself anew. 

Stokes crouched, swiftly beat down the other's 
flailing blows. Then with a step ahead he shot his 
fist to his assailant's jaw in a sledge-hammer crash 
that tumbled the other against the side of the car, 
whence he slumped to the cushion and from that to 
the aisle floor. There the fellow squirmed until he 
had supported his figure on one hand, striving 
through a mist to distinguish Stokes. His face 
worked in a hideous grimace. With his free hand 
he endeavored to drag a revolver from his pocket. 

"Grab that gun!" Stokes commanded sharply, to 
the brakeman. 

Tremulously the youth advanced, pulled it from 
the fallen man's fingers, loosed it from the pocket, 
retired again. All at once the defeated fighter sank 
and lay unconscious. 

Once more Stokes addressed the brakeman. 

"Give me that pistol and throw a bucket of water 
over his head. That will bring him around. And 
you better take charge of the train eh, Dessler?" 

"Yes," said Dessler. "And I've certainly en- 
joyed our ride to-night, Stokes." 



IX 

MR. BROUSSARD TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 

ON Thursday morning of that week Mr. Willard, 
who had returned from the north, had a conference 
with the two Stokes at the bed-side of the injured 
member of the firm. It appeared that John Stokes 
had been in telegraphic communication with him 
from Seattle. Afterwards Mr. Willard and Bob 
went to an attorney's office, with the result that 
that afternoon a mortgage for four hundred thou- 
sand dollars, blanketing the two vessels under con- 
struction and made to the Willard Pacific Coast De- 
velopment Company, was placed on record at the 
county recorder's office. Then the attorney made a 
point of dropping in to consult Johnson, the banker, 
on a matter of minor business. 

"By the way, how's Stokes Brothers' credit?" he 
inquired, as he was leaving. 

"Good. Why?" was Johnson's response. 

"Oh, nothing especial. I filed a big mortgage for 
them to-day. Wondered if they were sailing close 
to the wind." 

When he was back in his office again, he tele- 
phoned Bob. 

102 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 103 

"Just saw your man," said he. "Let out a word 
of the transaction, as you wished." 

"Much obliged. I'll run in and see you to-mor- 
row or next day. I'll advise with you when Gaud- 
reault's suit starts," Bob stated. "I should learn 
something from the banker presently." 

Nor had he long to wait. Five minutes later the 
telephone rang again. The speaker, naming him- 
self as Mr. Johnson, requested him to meet Mr. 
Farrington and himself at ten o'clock on the fol- 
lowing morning if convenient. They wished to 
discuss the matter of Stokes Brothers' loan. Bob 
assured him it would be convenient. 

Towards five o'clock that afternoon a colloquy 
in the outer office drew the young fellow thither. 
A man not less than six feet two in height, raw- 
boned and weather-beaten, with a dirty white cap 
that advertised somebody's lumber stuck on one side 
of his head, and wearing bibbed overalls, was in- 
forming Mocket that he was a carpenter looking for 
a job. He did not appear to impress the spare 
ascetic cashier favorably. The stranger talked in 
a loud voice. His huge curved nose, bent in some 
fist fight, and his wide mouth that shut askew with 
a trap-like assertiveness when he ceased speaking 
could not be called handsome. As he stated his 
qualifications, which included an ability to build 
anything from a canoe to a battleship, he leaned an 
elbow familiarly on the counter and waved before 
the other a hand like a slab of mahogany. 



104 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"The superintendent employs the carpenters," 
Mocket stated. 

"Well, trot him out, brother," the stranger re- 
plied. 

"You'll find him in the yard somewhere." 

The other struck a match on his bib and lighted 
a short, villainous-smelling pipe. 

"Well, where? I don't want to be cruising all 
over the place, kicking niggers out of my way." 

"At one of the ships, very likely," was the dis- 
dainful answer. 

"All right, boy. And farewell till I come flutter- 
ing in for my pay check. Try eating more to fatten 
yourself up." 

He lifted a sack of tools from the floor and swung 
it over his shoulder. Next his eyes encountered 
Bob. A faint grin rested on his lips as he stared at 
the young fellow for the space of a minute, then he 
swung about towards the door. 

"Wait till I get my hat," Bob said. "I'm going 
to see the superintendent and I'll take you along." 

As the pair left the office, Mocket exclaimed 
something half aloud that made Andrews glance at 
him quickly. The word was spoken unconsciously, 
contemptuously, in another tongue. But when the 
cashier moved about to resume his work the youth 
in the pink shirt and flamboyant tie was industrious- 
ly writing. Mocket had caught himself up after 
the utterance, and now regarded Andrews sharply, 
who continued absorbed as if unaware of the other's 
gaze. 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 105 

Outside Bob Stokes and the giant moved away 
from the door. When they were out of ear-shot, 
the latter said : 

"How's tricks, Bob?" 

"Pretty fair, old scout. Come through all right, 
I see." 

"Oh, yes. Tangled with a couple of bar-room 
comrades in Saint Louis, who wanted my bank- 
roll. One wallop apiece put 'em to sleep under the 
table like slumbering infants, Bob, and then I went 
out the side door to the station, while the bar-keep 
was rounding up a cop. Mussed up his place some. 
What's doing here ?" 

Stokes enlightened his companion as to the na- 
ture of the business on hand. Snohomish Jim was 
to discover if possible and associate himself with 
the men who were causing accidents in the ship- 
yards, in fact, he was to become one of them. Bob 
would supply him with money and Jim should 
choose his own devices. 

"Leave it to me, Bob. This is a dry town, but 
there's boot-leggers a-plenty I heard coming in on 
the train," was Snohomish Jim's assuring answer. 
"I'll get next to these ship-scuttlers and load 'em 
with pine-juice till they tell their life histories on my 
bosom. Never saw a crook yet who didn't fall 
for booze." 

"When you get to sizing up the workmen," Bob 
said, "observe whether or not they have a piece of 
blue string tied to their suspenders or to a button 
anywhere. If they have, count them out. We are 



io6 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

lining up the men to be trusted and letting them 
know the state of affairs, so they can be on the 
lookout for crooked work also. The men with the 
bits of string are O. K. We started with seven 
night before last, and got twenty more last night 
whom the first bunch vouched for. They're feeling 
out others and we'll probably add another and big- 
ger crowd to the number this evening, keeping on 
with the plan every day until we have nearly the 
whole force with us." 

"That will scale my job down considerable," Jim 
remarked. "And I reckon you don't want me wear- 
ing any string." 

"No, I'll give Mulhouse, the superintendent, to 
understand what you're about. The others will 
probably come to suspect you, but so much the bet- 
ter." 

Jim grinned, then expectorated. 

"They'll surely think me a low-browed dynamite 
artist before I'm through," said he. 

Half an hour later Snohomish Jim was smoothing 
a ship rib with an adze and relating to two com- 
panion workers on the scaffold a tale that never 
happened on land or sea. It was a story of the 
blowing up of a mine shaft in the mountains when 
a strike was on, and where Jim purported to have 
been a mine carpenter temporarily. Jim declared it 
was the fault of the capitalists. He denounced cap- 
italists in general. And during the next few days, 
as he was systematically shifted about by Mulhouse, 
now working in one gang and now in another, he 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 107 

breathed the same hatred for men of wealth. He 
was an I. W. W., he asserted, and didn't care who 
knew it. 

On Friday morning, prompt to the minute, Stokes 
appeared in the Marine Exchange Bank and mak- 
ing himself known was conducted into the presi- 
dent's private office. There Johnson and Farring- 
ton awaited him. He had met neither gentlemen, 
but was able at first glance to identify each by the 
description of them he had received from his 
brother. Mr. Johnson introduced himself, then 
Farrington, who scrutinized the young visitor with 
frowning gravity. When Bob was seated, the presi- 
dent of the Marine Exchange opened up. 

"As you, of course, are aware, Mr. Stokes, Mr. 
Farrington and I have made a loan of a consider- 
able amount to your company." He placed the tips 
of his fingers together as he spoke while gently rock- 
ing back and forth in his swivel chair. "So natur- 
ally the affairs of your concern interest us. We've 
learned that you have placed a heavy mortgage upon 
the ships that you're building." 

"Quite right," said Bob. 

"How does that affect the notes we hold?" 

"Well, how does it?" Stokes demanded. 

"Presuming that the mortgage is foreclosed " 

"Oh, it will not be foreclosed. We'll take care 
of it and the notes also. And anyway, you're se- 
cured." 

"If the mortgage should take the boats," Johnson 
persisted, "what's the security worth? Have you 



io8 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

other money to pay us ? And what will be done with 
the money raised on the mortgage !" 

Bob smiled. 

"There isn't any money from the mortgage," 
said he. "It covers past expenditures for lumber 
mostly, though we have a hundred thousand dollars 
credit now out of it. One of Mr. Willard's com- 
panies is to supply us with material to that amount. 
That will go into our second vessel. You see, out 
of the two hundred thousand borrowed of you gen- 
tlemen, about half went into paying back money 
used to buy the grounds and build ways and so on. 
while the rest has been used for our wage roll. 
Then to take care of material accounts, additional 
labor expenses and the like, we placed the mortgage 
on the boats. Of course, if anything happened to 
delay completion of the boats before the mortgage 
matured it's a short-time mortgage we should be 
kept busy scratching. We'll have to find some 
more money somewhere as it is, very likely, 
before we launch our first boat. Our chief trouble 
at present is with delays and labor difficulties, which 
are throwing us behind schedule. But we'll pull 
through. Those two ships will bring a million when 
ready to sail. Oh, yes, we'll have plenty of money 
then!" 

"But if you don't and Willard takes them, Stokes 
Brothers will have only its shipyard?'* 

"Worth a hundred thousand only, if that!" Far- 
rington interjected, sharply. "And your company 
is capitalized for half a million!" 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 109 

Stokes nodded to the statement. 

"We decided half a million was enough," he re- 
marked. 

"Enough ! On a property worth only one-fifth of 
the amount!" the little man cried, clawing his chin 
whisker and glaring at the speaker. "This is a 
swindle if there ever was one. The collateral we 
hold, figured at its best, represents only fifty thou- 
sand dollars. Do you hear that, Johnson? We 
don't even have all the stock ; this Stokes outfit kept 
the other half." 

Raising a propitiatory hand Bob brought the lit- 
tle financier to silence, though the latter continued 
to twitch and fume and glare. 

"I fear you are too pessimistic as to our ability to 
work out from under our obligations," said the 
visitor. 

Johnson stood on his feet. His face had slowly 
grown pink and now he shook a stern finger at his 
visitor. 

"Young man, I want to say that the members of 
your firm are started on a course that will lead them 
behind the bars," he announced. "You've floated 
this concern on air : your brother led us to believe it 
was sound when it was not ; you've mismanaged the 
business; you've allowed your workmen to injure 
the property " 

"Are you responsible for that?" Bob demanded, 
suddenly, leaning across the table and in turn point- 
ing a finger at the bank president. "Because it looks 
like it. You're the only parties interested in our 



no THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

success or failure. Wouldn't you two men have liked 
to gobble up our business ? What has been happen- 
ing in our yard is the result of deliberate plotting 
to ruin us, the delays, the accidents, the interference 
with work, and it began immediately after you made 
the loan to us. We're going to nab the men you've 
employed and squeeze the truth out of them, and 
then you'll have a damage suit on your hands that 
will make you take notice, to say nothing of the 
stench it will raise in the town. My brother was 
injured maliciously. And I think you two schemers 
hired the man who did the trick. Don't talk to me 
about going behind bars! We'll have a confession 
from some one one of these days that will make you 
feel sick. We're after you and we're going to get 
you. I'm through now, and going. You can't hand 
that kind of talk to me and get away with it." 

"You lying young wretch !" Farrington squealed, 
springing up. "We're not responsible for what's 
happened in your yard, if anything crooked has 
happened !" 

"The court will decide that and your dirty tac- 
tics will get a fine airing, believe me. You can't send 
an assassin to kill my brother and not suffer for 
it. Wait till we spring that confession on the pub- 
lic!" And seizing his hat Bob Stokes strode out 
of the office, convinced that even if the men were not 
implicated the shaking down he had given them 
had done no harm. 

Johnson still remained transfixed, his finger point- 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK ill 

ing where Stokes had been when he addressed him. 
Farrington champed his jaws in rage. 

"Did you hear the young scoundrel?" he ex- 
claimed, finally. 

"I did it was outrageous, infamous!" Johnson 
responded. Then he lowered his hand at a new 
thought. "This is the first I've heard of any plot. 
But I recall now that there's been talk of accidents 
and so on at the yard, and there's the injury of this 
chap's brother ? Could it be possible that some one's 
been causing their trouble deliberately, as he says?" 

"We certainly didn't," Farrington snapped. 

"But he seems to think we did. If they started a 
damage suit against us on the evidence of some ly- 
ing workman, even if they lost the case, it would 
be very unpleasant, very unpleasant indeed. I should 
not care to be brought into court to deny an alle- 
gation to the effect of employing men to injure 
Stokes Brothers' plant and to murder one of the 
firm. Would you?" 

"Of course not!" 

"I fear, Farrington, we're in a nasty affair." 

"Nonsense," said the other, but less vigorously. 

"And it looks as if the loan itself is bad." 

"It's worse than bad, it's rotten," Farrington re- 
sponded. "I thought I was too old to be jig-sawed 
in any such fashion. They're going to trim us, if 
we're not careful." He leaned an elbow on the table 
and covered his eyes with a hand. "I have a feeling 
that old man Willard is pulling on the line and hook 
too the mortgage was made to him and from what 



112 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

I've learned he's been friendly with these Stokes." 

"Then you don't think the company is broke?" 
Johnson asked. 

"Don't talk that way; you give me a headache. 
To be sure, it's not broke. Didn't we look up its 
rating out west? Willard will take over the ships 
and then they'll be finished and sold and they'll split 
the clean-up between them. And we'll have paid 
two hundred thousand for a half interest in a ship- 
yard worth one hundred thousand. Don't interrupt 
me again with foolish questions; I want to think." 

Johnson allowed his associate to think. He was 
also trying to think of something himself, but not 
successfully. The prospect of realizing twenty-five 
cents on the dollar when he had expected to realize 
a dollar from twenty-five cents was so utterly at 
variance with the customary results of his opera- 
tions that his brain suffered a sort of numbness. 
His mind failed to spark, as it were. 

It was at this point that a clerk appeared and an- 
nounced a new visitor. Ordinarily Johnson would 
have made inquiries concerning his business, but 
now he absently ordered the man to be admitted. 
Gaudreault, twisting his green hat and smiling in- 
gratiatingly, entered. 

"Mr. Johnson will consider your request," the 
clerk informed his charge and then vanished. 

"What is it?" Johnson asked, bending his eyes on 
the man. 

"I beg to borrow five hundred dollars." 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 113 

"The cashier would have attended to you. What 
security ?" 

"I have no security, no, but I am to be rich nex' 
week, very rich. So I mus' have the money," Gaud- 
reault stated, modestly. 

"What are you going to do with the money ?" 

"To make ready to be rich. For the clothes, for 
the lawyer, for many things." 

Johnson frowned at the fellow. 

"I don't know what you're talking about, but 
what's this of your going to be rich ?" he demanded. 

"It is nex' week. Nex' week I will have the ship- 
yard. The lawyer begins a lawsuit to get it for me, 
because the ground belongs to me and not to this 
Stokes company. The company will be put off by 
what the lawyer calls injunction. Ships all tied 
up. Work all stopped. Gates all locked. Nothing 
doing. I, Gaudreault, will own it, because I am heir 
way back from my family. So I mus' have five 
hundred dollars." 

Farrington came swiftly round the table. He 
seized the little fisherman by the coat lapel and 
shook him. 

"Who's your lawyer?" he barked. 

"Mr. Guyenne." 

Dropping his hand, the banker seated himself 
at Johnson's desk, called central to give him Guy- 
enne's office without troubling to look up the num- 
ber and fidgeted till he had the connection. Then he 
shot a number of rapid questions into the receiver 
concerning Gaudreault and the shipyard and the 



114 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

lawsuit. Finally he jabbed the receiver back on its 
hook. 

"Well, it's to be started," he informed Johnson. 
"Get rid of this fellow." 

"We don't loan money on the strength of law- 
suits," Gaudreault was informed. 

Gaudreault went out. 

When Johnson turned about, his companion was 
pinching his lip and meditating. His air neverthe- 
less was peevish, so that it did not appear wise at 
the moment to question him further concerning the 
lawsuit. At all times irritable, Farrington was not 
sweetened by the disclosures of the morning. 

"Who shall we unload on ?" he asked at last. "We 
can't send the paper out of town because we should 
have to guarantee it, and when we sell we shall sell 
without recourse, of course. We can't split the 
loan up unfortunately, as it's one note." 

"Well, you know who can take a note of that 
size," Johnson stated, significantly. "And there's 
no one else who's able. But you remember what 
Main said if he learned we were cutting him and 
Derland out of any transaction with the Stokes." 

"I remember." 

For half an hour they discussed the matter with- 
out deciding on a definite course. At the end of that 
time Johnson was called out of the room on a mat- 
ter of business. He beheld Broussard seated inside 
the railing, engaged in discussion with the cashier. 
When a moment later Johnson returned Broussard 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 115 

thanked the cashier for the information obtained 
and arose. 

"How about a round of nine holes about four 
o'clock?" he inquired of the bank president. "Time 
you were cutting down that adipose." 

"Can't do it to-day, Broussard," Johnson replied. 
"Too busy." 

"You're a good bluffer. Well, I'm thinking of 
running up to New York, so if I'm not at the gas 
company meeting you'll know why and don't slip 
anything over on me while I'm away from it. I've 
some loose money and thought I'd go up to Wall 
Street and pick up a few stocks." 

Broussard smiled lazily with his full black eyes 
fixed on the other as if amused at something. All 
at once Johnson caught him by the arm. 

"Come in with me a moment," he said. 

"There you go. The minute I say money, you 
want to try and sell me a gold brick, Johnson. What 
do you imagine you can work off on me now?" 

But Broussard nevertheless accompanied the bank 
president into his sanctum. Farrington stared at 
the new comer without any sign of friendliness on 
his face, until Johnson gave him a significant nod. 
Then the frost died out of his countenance. 

"Well, well, well, the vultures have cornered the 
lamb," Broussard remarked, when the door was 
closed and he had dropped into a seat. "I'm afraid 
I gave myself away when I told you, Johnson, that 
I had some loose change. Now go to it. I'll wager 



n6 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

you two want to dump that West Avenue sub-divi- 
sion off on me." 

"No, we've only got a piece of first-class paper 
to sell, amply secured." 

"Show me the stuff," said Broussard, "I can tell 
you in one minute whether I'd touch it at all and 
tell you in two what I'll give for it." 

His indolent air had been dispelled in an instant 
and he was now alert, watchful. 

"It's a Stokes Brothers' note for two hundred 
thousand dollars, secured by two hundred and fifty 
of stock, half the capitalization," Johnson stated. 

"What's wrong with the company?" 

"Nothing, sound as a bell," Farrington put in. 
"But we need cash for a bunch of houses we want to 
erect out on the avenue. We've looked up Stokes 
Brothers and they're rated high. I can show you 
the reports at my bank." 

"Never mind them. Let me have a look at this 
note and the stock." 

Johnson touched a bell. Presently a clerk ap- 
peared in answer to the summons. He was directed 
to bring the president's private file of notes. When 
it was delivered, Johnson ran through the pockets, 
selected an envelope and extracted the note and col- 
lateral. He tossed them over to Broussard. 

The latter inspected them. Then drew out a 
check book and made out a check. He handed it 
to Farrington. 

"One hundred and seventy-five thousand dol- 
lars !' the latter yelped. "What do you mean ? What 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 117 

do you think we are? Of all damnable insolence! 
No interest figured and twenty-five thousand under 
the face!" 

Lighting a cigarette, Broussard exhaled a puff to- 
wards the ceiling. 

"Take it or leave it; that's my offer," said he. 
"You're eager to let go of the paper for some rea- 
son, or you wouldn't sell it at all. Your story of 
building houses is moonshine. I'm buying blind, 
but I'm willing to take a chance. It has to be a 
bargain, or we don't do business I'm not taking the 
note for amusement. I like to see a profit right on 
the jump. Twenty-five thousand isn't any too much 
to charge for letting you fellows unload. Take it or 
leave it, that's my last word." 

Johnson protested hotly. Farrington snapped 
forth his opinion of Broussard in a hundred biting 
expressions. But the latter only smoked and smiled 
and from time to time glanced at his watch. 

"Well, I see we're not going to make a deal," he 
stated finally, rising. "Give me that check and I'll 
tear it up." 

But Farrington continued to hold it in his fingers. 

"You'd rob a beggar if you got a chance!" he 
snarled. Then, turning to Johnson, he continued, 
"You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip. Turn in 
this check while I'm putting my endorsement on the 
note I wouldn't put it past him to stop payment if 
he should decide to buck back on the deal." 

Broussard smiled down his nose. Johnson went 



n8 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

out with the check, as suggested. Farrington scrib- 
bled his name on the note with a pen. 

"No recourse," he bit forth. 

"Rest easy; I know better than to ask it," was the 
reply. 

When the bank president returned, he added his 
name to the note and passed it over, together with 
the collateral, to Broussard. Then he and Far- 
rington began to smile. 

"Hee, hee, you've bought something this time!" 
the latter exclaimed, with sudden glee. "For your 
information I'll say the Stokes concern mortgaged 
both their ships to the last stick yesterday, some- 
body's raising the devil with their yard and they're 
about to be sued by claimants of the ground and 
tied up tighter than a bale of cotton by an injunc- 
tion. This collateral stock is worth maybe fifty 
thousand, maybe twenty-five, maybe nothing when 
the lawsuit's ended. Hee, hee!" 

"Yes, you've bought something," Johnson agreed, 
complacently. 

Broussard regarded them with a cold eye. 

"I learned of the mortgage this morning ; it does- 
n't disturb me," he remarked. "Don't exult, for the 
Stokes will take care of it I'll see to that. And I 
imagine the person or persons who're responsible 
for their yard trouble, if troubles there have been, 
will also be disposed of. So don't sympathize with 
me too soon." 

But Farrington did not lose his malicious grin. 

"There's the lawsuit," he exclaimed. "That will 



TURNS THE OTHER CHEEK 119 

tie the yard up till not a hammer is lifted. The men 
will be laid off. The boats will remain where they 
are, unfinished. And if the Stokes Company loses, 
it'll not have even the ground. We'll teach you to 
try to lift twenty-five thousand dollars out of our 
wallets ! You thought you were getting your hooks 
into us! This makes me feel better than anything 
that's happened in a year." 

Placing the note and stock certificate in his pocket, 
Broussard walked to the telephone and called for a 
number. 

"Nothing is more admirable than an old gentle- 
man happy and serene in the knowledge he has lived 
a useful, unselfish life," he remarked at large, as he 
waited on central. Then immediately he spoke into 
the mouth-piece of the telephone, "This you, Guy- 
enne? Broussard speaking. You have Gaudreault 
there ? Well, you can tell him now that the evidence 
doesn't justify a suit after all. Pay him five hun- 
dred and let him go. Yes, that's all." Broussard 
replaced the receiver upon its hook. 

Farrington was on his feet, shaking a hand furi- 
ously at the other. 

"You framed this lawsuit, you framed it to skin 
us!" he shrieked, in a splutter of sounds. "You 
thief, you robber you " 

"Outrageous, infamous!" Johnson cried, angrily. 

A satirical smile rested on Broussard's lips as he 
picked up his hat and walking-stick. Sauntering to- 
wards the door, he sang : 



120 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"You say the time has come to part, my dear-ie ! 
You say our love was never meant to last ! 
And with your words the world grows dark and drear, 
Transformed from sunshine of the past." 



X 

THE OBSCURE FACTOR 

MR. MOCKET, the tall, thin and serious-faced 
cashier of Stokes Brothers, had occasion to trans- 
act some business at the Marine Exchange Bank that 
morning towards noon. As he entered the building, 
Broussard was just departing after his successful 
crossing of swords with the two bankers in John- 
son's private office. Broussard turned to look after 
Mocket's spare, erect figure. 

"Wonder what that fellow's doing since he 
stopped handling Main's crooked work for him?" 
he asked himself. 

Broussard had a faculty of discovering consider- 
able more of his financial associates' affairs than 
Main, Derland, Johnson and Farrington suspected. 
He was aware for instance that Mocket at one time 
while ostensibly a clerk in Main's employ had in 
fact managed such discreditable business as the gas 
magnate wanted put through but in which he did 
not wish personally to appear. And he had learned 
too that the man for some reason had been dis- 
charged by Main. 

However, his curiosity concerning the fellow was 
but momentary and he immediately continued on 

121 



122 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

his way. Mocket, on his part, concluded his bank 
business and thereupon proceeded not to the ship- 
yard but to the building where his former employer, 
Main, held forth. There he was admitted into the 
presence of the financier. 

The burden of his errand had to do with expense 
money, it appeared, as after a brief remark that 
progress in a certain affair was being made he stated 
that he should need two hundred dollars. 

"I pay for what I get, but I want to know that I'm 
actually getting value received when I do pay," 
Main stated, bluntly, and in a tone that made the 
other's lips tighten. "What have you accom- 
plished?" 

"Do you want the details?" 

Main, with his heavy jowls spreading over the 
edge of his collar, stared stonily at his secret em- 
ployee. 

"No, I've told you before I don't care to be both- 
ered with the details, don't care to know anything 
about them. I wash my hands of them but I 
want results!" 

"You are getting results, Mr. Main." 

"Well, what?" 

"In delayed work. You said in the beginning that 
delay would be the one thing which would bring 
pressure to bear to accomplish the financial end you 
had in view. I don't know what that end is, but if 
you would take me into your confidence to a further 
degree I perhaps should be able to proceed more 
effectively." 



THE OBSCURE FACTOR 123 

"Never you mind what my game is," Main ex- 
claimed, truculently. "You do what you're ordered ; 
that's enough for you. I don't trust you more than 
from here to the shipyard and besides I can get 
along without your financial advice. I've got you 
where I want you, so you'll do exactly as I say un- 
less you want to wear stripes. When I have a man 
under my hand, he works as I tell him to work or 
I smash him." 

At the insolent brutal words the thin spare figure 
quivered. Behind the glasses Mocket wore his eyes 
flashed in a single murderous gleam, then again be- 
came vague and expressionless. 

"I shall remember, sir," said he, quietly. 

"You had better remember, for it isn't too late 
yet to dig up the proof on that embezzlement charge 
if I take a notion to do it. I let you off too easy 
in that matter last summer, as it was, I'm thinking." 

"You believed me guilty even though I denied it 
and would have railroaded me to the penitentiary if 
I had made a fight on the matter, so I let you have 
your way." 

"Yes, and a good thing you did," came in a sneer 
from Main's lips. "For you were guilty all right. 
But I knew you would be of more use to me outside 
of jail than in, with a sword hanging over your 
head. I found my use for you when I sent you to 
get the cashier's job at Stokes." 

"I've been careful, sir, not to mention to any one 
that you sent me or that I was ever in your employ- 



124 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

ment The members of the ship concern are not 
aware of it" 

"You would have got your neck broken if you 
had told them," Main remarked. "Now, what 
about this young fellow who has come here to take 
charge ?" 

"He knows nothing about ship-building and he's 
not particularly efficient, I'd say." 

For a moment "Gas" Main sat in thought. Then 
he looked up suddenly at the man standing before 
him. 

"Did you have that other Stokes laid out with a 
plank?" he demanded, in a hostile voice. 

"No, that was a pure accident." 

"Well, don't let me hear of you trying to kill 
anybody, or injuring the ships," said he. "You're 
to find means to impede work and delay construc- 
tion, but without violence. This is a financial scrap, 
not destruction and ruthlessness, bear in mind. That 
property is to be just as valuable when I'm done as 
when I begun, more so counting the ships building." 

A sardonic smile flickered across the cashier's as- 
cetic face, but was not seen by the gas company 
president. 

"I'll be governed by your wishes," Mocket said. 

"Have you heard anything about the Stokes and 
Johnson and Farrington?" 

"No, Mr. Main." 

"Do you think those bankers are worrying about 
the paper they hold?" 

"It is possible. They made an appointment with 



THE OBSCURE FACTOR 125 

Mr. Robert Stokes for this morning. I should judge 
that they were growing somewhat anxious." 

"Well, that will do now. I will look into that. 
Here is the two hundred you ask for," and Main 
went to his private safe. 

"Thank you, sir," Mocket responded, as he re- 
ceived the bills. "I can assure you that it will be 
well spent." 

"It had best be ; I'm not throwing money away," 
Main growled ; and without troubling to dismiss his 
tool he turned to his desk. 

Mocket left the room. In the hallway outside the 
gas company's offices he turned his head for one bit- 
ter implacable glance at the door through which he 
had just come. When out of the building he passed 
along the street until he found an obscure hotel, 
where entering he ascended to a certain room. At 
a knock he was admitted by a strongly-built, mid- 
dle-aged man, with blue eyes and a clipped, pointed, 
yellow beard. 

"Ah, it is you," the man stated, with no especial 
cordiality. 

"Yes. And my time is limited, for I must not 
be absent from the shipyard office so long as to start 
inquiries." 

The bearded man stroked his beard, placed to his 
lips and lighted a china pipe. 

"Briefness is wise, and we must not be seen too 
frequently together, even by the hotel people. I de- 
sire no attention attracted to myself." 

"I thank you for meeting me at all," Mocket 



126 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

stated. "Have you any information concerning my 
proposal ?" 

The eagerness in the question, as well as an ex- 
citement of manner restrained with difficulty, was 
apparent. 

"Yes, this much," his companion stated. "That 
you will be permitted to make the trial. The ma- 
terials will be furnished you; I and another will re- 
main here to advise you. But it is to be understood 
that the undertaking is yours, the responsibility 
yours, and if need be the danger yours." 

"I ask no more," Mocket exclaimed, vehemently. 

"If you fail well, it's at your own risk. If you 
succeed, I am authorized by a very high person 
whom I shall not name to say that it will go far 
towards reinstating you in your former rights, in 
obliterating the past, in restoring your name. That 
very high person will make a recommendation to 
such a purpose with those in whom lies the power to 
forgive; and the recommendation undoubtedly will 
be received with favor." 

Mocket suddenly covered his face with his hands ; 
his body shook with emotion. 

"I have been an exile so long !" he cried. "Once 
again I want to set my feet upon my native soil. 
I am ready to give my life to see my honor clean, to 
be able to hold up my head among my former 
friends, to use my real name that name, as you 
know, that has a 'von.' I swear my disgrace was 
brought upon me by another, that I was his victim 



THE OBSCURE FACTOR 127 

and have carried my shame these five years be- 
cause " 

'That is neither here nor there," the other coolly 
interrupted. "The point is that now you have your 
chance to regain what you lost. This is the oppor- 
tunity; and the trial is to be yours alone. If you 
perform a valuable service, such as you propose, it 
will receive recognition; it will be a long step in 
your rehabilitation. That is the message I carry in 
answer." 

Mocket straightened, looking at the speaker with 
a fanatical fire burning in his black eyes. 

"Nothing shall stop me I shall carry it through !" 

"That is good spirit. When you've finished I'm 
authorized to take you with me for further ser- 
vice," the other said, in a more friendly tone. 

"That is splendid! I shall prove myself to you 
and those in authority, prove myself by a hundred 
deeds. Let them send me to the dangerous places, 
on the perilous errands. I burn to give myself ut- 
terly to my country, to show where lies my heart 
and my soul! I will rise through fire if need be 
to my former position of honor, when again I may 
wield my officer's sword, trusted and esteemed ! No 
sacrifice shall be too great!" 

"Good, very good." 

"My life in this accursed land, in this accursed 
spot, has been wretched and debasing," he went on. 
"A hundred times I could have killed men whose 
blood is the blood of coarse swine, but from whose 
hands I have had to receive the money on which I 



128 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

live. Money accompanied by insults ! Insults to me 
one of a noble family! At home I would have 
run them through ! And now you hold out the hope 
that it shall end; I give you thanks from the very 
depths of my heart!" 

As if long frozen springs had been thawed, 
Mocket poured forth this utterance in a torrent. On 
his working face was written the bitter ignominy he 
had suffered and the resentment he felt. He held a 
hand aloft as if to invoke on every one and every- 
thing alien about him the hatred of his impassioned 
soul. 

Then at last he ceased to speak, remained for a 
little standing motionless, silent, looking beyond the 
bearded man. 

"Well, possibly you will excuse this outburst," he 
remarked finally, in his natural tone. 

"It is understandable," the other replied. 

"You'll hear no more of it. Now when shall I 
meet with you again to discuss my plan?" 

"When you leave the shipyard for the day. The 
quicker matters are arranged, the better. Once we 
have agreed upon your course, it will be seldom nec- 
essary to confer, except on vitally important de- 
tails." 

Mocket wiped and replaced his eye-glasses upon 
his nose. 

"I'll come here straight from the shipyard this 
evening," said he. "And now, good day." 



XI 

ELLEN DURAND 

TEN days had passed since Robert Stokes arrived 
and took hold of the shipyard. But so far as Ellen 
Durand could see no progress had been made to- 
wards uncovering the conspiracy being carried on 
against the company. And this in spite of the fact 
that an attempt had been feebly carried out to wreck 
a switch engine and string of cars in the yard. 
Some one had driven an iron wedge into a frog, 
but fortunately the cars were moving slowly when 
the first wheel struck the obstruction, so that be- 
yond one truck leaving the rails and the cars and en- 
gine receiving a severe jolt no harm was done. 
Stokes did not even mention the occurrence in the 
office; she learned of it casually in the front room. 

His first appearance had aroused in her a lively 
curiosity as to his competence to meet the situation ; 
he himself had seemed confident enough. Bnt his 
confidence had not materialized into action. He had 
taken up the routine work of the office; he gave a 
good deal of attention to the shipyard; he busied 
himself with details; that was all. Since the first 
afternoon he had never discussed with her the sub- 
ject of the attacks on the business. He had not even 

129 



130 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

dictated a letter to the Seattle office concerning the 
matter. The hope that he might bring the crimi- 
nals to justice, which he had inspired, gradually 
yielded to disappointment. For the life of her, she 
could not see how any man whose business was im- 
periled could continue so unperturbed and passive! 

She herself experienced a constant if vague un- 
easiness. Not for herself, to be sure, but for the 
company, for the ships, and, indeed, for him. It 
was as if the air of the place was charged with subtle 
danger, which at some unexpected moment should 
collect and strike. She could feel it in the very at- 
mosphere of the office. She breathed it every time 
she stepped forth from the building. The great 
shapes of the vessels that were building, despite the 
clatter of hammers, were heavy with it. She could 
not shake off the undefined dread. 

"Miss Durand, either the work is beginning to tell 
on you or you've something dreadful on your con- 
science, for you're looking fagged," Bob remarked 
one afternoon, after a scrutiny of her face. 

"I know it's not the work, if I do look that way 
and there's nothing on my conscience that I'm 
aware of," she smiled. 

"Well, you're a little pale anyway. We can't 
afford to have you breaking down or anything like 
that. It's bad enough the company has to put up 
with a new manager just at this time; a new and 
inexperienced stenographer would probably send it 
on the rocks. So with your permission I'm going 
to prescribe fresh air. I've the use of a motor boat 



ELLEN DURAND 131 

belonging to a neighbor of my brother's, and I'd be 
pleased to give you a run after dinner this evening. 
An hour or two on the water will fill you so full 
of ozone that you'll want to start for Washington 
at once and wave a suffragette's banner in the Presi- 
dent's face." 

The twitch at the corner of her mouth grew, until 
at last she broke into a laugh. Then she gave a nod. 

"I'll be glad to go on the water," said she. "The 
picture you draw of me as I'd conduct myself in 
front of the White House makes me ambitious. It 
might lead in time to my being arrested, like Mrs. 
Pankhurst, and being thrust into jail, which would 
make me famous." 

"I'll call for you a little after seven o'clock to- 
night we should make an early start. Tell me 
where to come, please." 

She named the street number of the house where 
she boarded, then added doubtfully : 

"I suppose nothing serious will happen here while 
you're out of telephone reach." 

"Can't help it if it does." He fixed his gaze 
on her face. "I believe that's what's worrying you. 
Afraid something will occur to the plant. Is that 
it?" 

"Well, naturally since Mr. Frederic Stokes was 
hurt I've been anxious, somewhat. I've wondered 
what the next accident would be." 

Stokes shoved his hands into his pocket and 
grinned at her. 

"Observe yours truly," said he. "You don't see 



132 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

lines of worry furrowing my visage, do you ? Nix, 
not, no. Worry never got a person anything but 
insomnia and a ticket of admission to an insane asy- 
lum. Do everything possible to prevent trouble, 
but never lie awake to see whether you can invent 
troubles that don't exist, or to fret about what you 
don't know. Ruins one's appetite. That doesn't 
mean one shouldn't saw wood when he's working 
he should. But worry isn't work ; it's waste. There, 
I've delivered my first and last sermon in Martins- 
port. Expect me to come bounding up the steps 
of your domicile at seven-fifteen with a motor boat 
under one arm and a couple of villains under the 
other to ease your mind." 

"That would help wonderfully," she exclaimed, 
her eyes glowing. 

But one may conjecture that the villains had little 
to do with the glow. At the prospect of an evening 
excursion upon the water the fear that had haunted 
her was forgotten too ; it was replaced by the flutter 
of anticipation every girl has before a treat. 

Circumstances had contrived to restrict Ellen 
Durand's life in Martinsport to a dead level, cir- 
cumstances and possibly temperament. Thrown on 
her own resources after the long illness and death of 
her widowed mother, she had turned to the only 
work that would immediately afford an income. She 
had just finished her second year in a small college 
when her mother fell ill, and being warned by the 
doctor that her mother's death was inevitable, while 
realizing that their moderate means would also be 



ELLEN DURAND 133 

exhausted by consequent expenses, she had studied 
stenography in preparation for the future. After 
the first pain of her mother's death had passed, she 
had come from her home in the central part of the 
state to Martinsport, as the latter had been recom- 
mended as a growing city, small but offering op- 
portunities. It chanced that she arrived about the 
time Stokes Brothers opened its office. At her 
boarding-house she met Andrews, who on learning 
she sought a place as a stenographer had suggested 
her to Frederic Stokes as probably a satisfactory 
employee; Andrews having just been hired by the 
firm and knowing that a stenographer was desired. 

This is the bare outline of her advent in Martins- 
port. It does not include the homesickness, the 
doubts, the fears with which she ventured forth to 
the strange town and began her work of earning 
a livelihood. It does not reckon the hard necessity 
of foregoing her college aspirations in order to at- 
tend to the dispiriting task of wage-earning. It 
does not recite the feelings of loneliness and loss in 
being compelled to surrender the pleasures, the gay- 
eties and the friends that she one time had. This 
part of her experience was buried in her soul. 

Aside from an occasional evening with Andrews 
at a moving picture show, her regular church at- 
tendance on Sundays, strolls with some of the girls 
at her boarding-house, she lived almost as solitarily 
as if in the midst of a desert. The rather noisy and 
flippant men friends of her companions, to whom 
she was introduced, neither interested nor attracted 



134 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

her. And reserved by nature as she was, without 
superficial prettiness, content to keep her fineness 
of character rather than sacrifice it to gain popular- 
ity with those men, she was considered slow. The 
shallowness of their minds and purposes bored her, 
while on their part they were constrained by a feel- 
ing that she was different if not superior, though she 
never talked of herself or revealed her thoughts or 
affairs. Possibly that was the reason she perplexed 
them : she did not on first acquaintance chatter of 
everything she knew, or had done, or had seen ; she 
did not even speak the glib, slangy phrases that 
largely constituted language with their kind. Al- 
together, they could not make her out; she was a 
bit of a mystery. And so she was let alone. 

She employed her leisure time mostly in reading. 
She still had her dreams. That she should not 
always remain a stenographer she was resolved, 
though when she should escape and what she should 
be and do she had not yet planned. The determina- 
tion, for determination it was and not mere hope, 
buoyed her spirit so that she was able to pursue her 
work steadfastly and preserve a cheerful demeanor. 

Thus it was wlien Robert Stokes invited her to 
ride upon the water that evening, after months of 
an existence bereft of even little pleasures, she felt 
an anticipatory delight all out of proportion to the 
event. Until the moment she had not realized how 
starved for social recreation she was. The unex- 
pectedness of the excursion gave it a happier charm, 
moreover, while the prospect of being with a man of 



ELLEN DURAND 135 

the kind she had been previously accustomed to 
know, as his guest, set her pulses to beating. Her 
spirits seemed to feel a sudden release. 

In a state of vivacity she found it difficult to con- 
ceal she hurried to her room at the end of the day 
to press her prettiest silk waist anew and to arrange 
her hair. Never did one have such turbulent, un- 
ruly black hair; it simply wouldn't behave! Her 
struggle with it put a delicate pink in her cheeks. 
At the supper table her eyes shone beneath their 
long dusky lashes with a bright luminosity that 
caused a young fellow across from her, a clerk, to 
stare. 

"Take a look at that Durand girl," he whispered 
to a companion. "Some class, eh? Didn't know 
she was so good-looking." 

"Well, it ain't exactly good looks; it's more well, 
as you say, class. Like the movie vampires have," 
was the other's reply, after a critical inspection of 
Ellen Durand. 

"I get you," said the first, "maybe we've been 
overlooking the lady. I think I'll get better ac- 
quainted with her. Might take her to the Princess 
show good picture there to-night, 'A Faithful 
Magdalene/ with cabaret scenes and all that." 

But when after supper he pursued his purpose 
of becoming better acquainted with Ellen Durand, 
inviting her to attend the "show," she thanked him 
and politely pleaded another engagement. And 
shortly afterward Robert Stokes, garbed in cool 
gray and wearing a straw hat of fine texture, ap- 



136 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

peared and bore her off under a battery of board- 
ers' eyes. 

"Gee, who's that gentleman!" one of a group of 
girls exclaimed, resuming her gum-chewing. 
"Strolled up and took her away and never batted 
an eye." 

"That Bangkok hat cost not less than twenty dol- 
lars," said one of the clerks, with the authoritative 
air of a person who knew whereof he spoke. He 
clerked in a gentlemen's furnishings shop. 

"Well, she might have introduced us," said an- 
other girl, patting her hair. 

"I wonder what he sees in her," said a third. 
"She isn't a bit clever or stylish." 

And the talk drifted off into a discussion of Ellen 
Durand's shortcomings. 



XII 

THE ADVENTURE AT THE ISLAND 

THE sea lay smooth, undisturbed by even the 
lightest breeze, undulating gently to the swell that 
came in lazily from the gulf. On the western hori- 
zon the sun had just sunk from sight, leaving a 
pink glow in the sky whose reflection stained the 
waters. The shore with its piers and ships at 
anchor, its mass of business buildings, its long row 
of white mansions to the west, lying against a 
dark green background of trees and wood growth, 
extended in a panorama that seemed to expand be- 
fore Ellen Durand's and Bob Stokes' eyes as their 
boat moved at half speed on its way. About them 
were the small craft of other pleasure-seekers 
cat-boats, launches, dories, canoes, passing hither 
and thither. Far out in the channel, whose beacons 
were already burning against the coming night, a 
steamer trailed a line of smoke low on the water. 

With half closed eyes, breathing the balmy air 
with languorous delight, a smile on her lips, Ellen 
Durand for a time observed the scene with no de- 
sire for talk. Martinsport appeared far off, unreal, 
as if in truth it were floating away. The motion of 

i37 



138 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

the boat lulled her. The expanse of sea and sky 
soothed her mind. 

But presently she came back to life. 

"You'll wonder whether I've lost my tongue, Mr. 
Stokes, if I remain still any longer," she said, 
"but this is my first time on the water here, or 
anywhere, for an age. I've been drinking the beauty 
of it in, reveling in it, so that I shall remember 
the pleasure it gives me. I didn't wish to miss a 
single bit!" 

"I knew you were enjoying it and so was I," 
he answered. Then he added, "And I'm glad you 
didn't spoil it with a lot of worn-out adjectives. 
I'm always filled with foreboding when a person 
immediately burst out with 'Gorgeous !' 'Grand !' 
'Glorious!' 'Marvelous!' before he or she 
has " 

"It's usually a 'she,' " she interrupted, with a 
nod. 

"Well, before she has taken more than a look, 
for that will be the end of it with her and next 
breath she'll be rattling away about something 
somebody said about nothing in particular. Her 
appreciation stops with that one fizz 'Grand gor- 
geous !' ' 

She began to laugh. 

"I know people your description exactly fits," 
she remarked. "They fizz in just that way for an 
instant like bottles of pop, and are then exhausted. 
I feel almost sorry for them." 

" 'More to be pitied than censured,' " Bob quoted. 



ADVENTURE AT THE ISLAND 139 

"But I fear it would be sympathy wasted, at that. 
Now, to go back, you said this was your first time 
on the water we'll try and make up for it. One 
needs diversion, and boating so far as I've seen is 
the best Martinsport has." 

The shadowed, enigmatical look he had perceived 
before came into her eyes. She gazed for a little 
while out upon the sea. 

"What appeals to me about a big city, like New 
York, is not only the diversions but the whole life 
of it, the opportunities, the spirit, the energy, the 
mystery. I've never been there, or, indeed, to any 
great city. But I've read of them. Martinsport's 
no more than a town. Of course, one expects to 
work, or at any rate be occupied, wherever one is, 
but to feel one's self a part of flowing streets and 
the hidden tremendous force that makes up a big 
city must certainly be a satisfaction. It's the gath- 
ering place of wealth, brains, power. Everything 
is there for one to see, know, feel, enjoy." 

"One's work in a city becomes routine, as any- 
where else," Bob stated. 

"Yes; that is taken for granted. But there re- 
mains the part of a person that work doesn't touch. 
Why, I could feast my eyes on things in the win- 
dows there, that I'd never see anywhere but there, 
though I might never expect to own them. One too 
would be rubbing elbows with people of every na- 
tion and race, whose occupations and habits and 
thoughts and ambitions could only be guessed at. 
And there are the galleries, the concerts, the the- 



140 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

aters, and all that. It's not just any single thing 
in a big city; it's everything combined that makes 
life in it an adventure. Yes, no other word will do 
and it seems to me life ought to be an adventure. 
Every day of it!" 

As she spoke, the glow had deepened in her eyes 
until they were radiant. But almost immediately 
this died and her brows drew together brooding. 

"Adventures may be dangerous, especially in a 
large city," Stokes stated. 

"Better danger than a life of deadly dullness," 
she answered. "But one can usually avoid danger 
if one will." 

"I almost believe you've made up your mind to 
go to a big city." 

"Yes, next autumn," she replied, staring at the 
water. "I couldn't endure Martinsport longer than 
that. I shall go then. It's not dissatisfaction with 
my work, understand. Mr. Frederic Stokes has 
been most kind. But it's the rest of it." And she 
indicated the town by a wave of her hand. 

"If you think it quiet here, you ought to spend 
a few months in the woods to get the idea out of 
your head," Stokes said, smiling. 

Possessing as he himself did an active spirit, he 
sympathized with her in her desire to escape from 
a situation that must be both dull and distasteful. 
Daily contact with her in the office had led him to 
recognize her intelligence and good breeding. At 
her boarding-house he had seen the showy and rath- 
er vulgar girls and young fellows their dress and 



ADVENTURE AT THE ISLAND 141 

airs bespoke their kind ! with whom she was forced 
to associate. To one of Ellen Durand's fine sensi- 
bilities the day-in-and-day-out commingling with 
them would not only serve to depress her mind but 
would arouse all the rebellious feelings in her na- 
ture. 

As she did not respond to his last words, he 
studied her in silence. She could be more than re- 
bellious, he decided, she was capable of stormy pas- 
sion, given the incentive. He perceived that her 
calmness was restraint and that he knew not what 
fires smoldered within her soul. And with these 
impressions he felt a new and growing interest 
in the girl. 

All the while the motor boat glided leisurely west- 
ward along the shore. The piers were left behind. 
The white homes, surrounded by trees and fronting 
the beach, moved past in a procession. The quick 
night of the south was descending upon land and 
water, promising presently to blot out the scene. It 
was just then that a powerfully engined launch 
overtook and passed them, its exhaust exploding 
noisily. As the boat moved by scarcely a hun- 
dred feet away, the lone man in the craft shed his 
coat and tossed it aside. The air puffed it like a 
sail, blew something resembling a colored handker- 
chief from an inner pocket and then let the coat 
subside in the bottom of the launch. The owner 
had not observed what occurred. The boat went 
steadily ahead. On the surface ef the water floated 
the colored square of cloth. 



142 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Stokes gave his own boat a sheer in the direc- 
tion of the article. 

"That had the look of a flag to me," he ex- 
plained. "And not an American flag, either. I 
had a glimpse of three broad stripes as it fluttered 
down. French, probably, from the design. There 
is quite a bit of French blood in this region." 

As the boat came alongside of the thing, he 
scooped it up. He gazed at the dripping cloth, then 
an exclamation broke from his lips. 

"That's not French," he said. 

"What is it?" 

"Take it by two corners and spread it open. 
Don't wet yourself. Now, see!" 

It was a small silk flag, little larger than her 
two hands, in three broad bands of color red, 
white and black. In the gentle breeze made by 
the movement of the boat it waved and whipped in 
the hold of her fingers. 

"I never saw one like it before or, yes, I have, 
now that I remember," she said, "but I can't place 
it." 

"That's a German flag," Bob stated. 

"Why, we're fighting Germany! What should 
any one be doing with its flag?" 

"The government will ask the same thing if it 
gets hold of him. Wait a moment now ! I want to 
keep track of that fellow!" 

Increasing speed, he set the motor boat in chase 
of the other, now some quarter of a mile ahead. 
The twilight died out rapidly, darkness fell. Along 



ADVENTURE AT THE ISLAND 143 

the beach the arc lights flashed forth like a row 
of gems, while overhead the stars began to appear. 
The shape of the unknown's launch was still visible 
against the faint illumination of the western sky 
and the sheen of water. 

"Won't he see us?" Ellen Durand questioned, 
with repressed excitement. 

"I think not. We've the advantage in respect 
to lights. And he'll not hear us, because his own 
exhaust is pretty loud. This little kicker of ours 
is keeping even with him, thank goodness! If he 
doesn't go too far or speed up we'll learn some- 
thing of this gentleman who carries an enemy 
flag." 

Gradually the leading boat bent away from the 
shore. 

"I can't see his craft any more," the girl said. 

"We're following. I believe he's making for 
that little island we perceived just before it grew 
dark. It lies two or three miles off the land and 
can't be very far now. We ought to be able to 
see the loom of it presently." 

"Well, don't bump into it, please." 

"You shouldn't mind. Awhile ago you were long- 
ing for an adventure ; now you have it. Not every 
person has wishes fulfilled so quickly." 

But it is doubtful if she heard. 

"I see the island!" she cried. 

"Whisper, please," he cautioned. "We may not 
be welcome and there may even be for us a little 
danger. I'm going to shut off the exhaust and 



144 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

proceed slowly, in order to give him time to land. 
If we can steal in without any sound, we'll do so. 
I wonder what the fellow's up to out here at 
night!" 

"I don't hear anything." 

"He's landed. We'll try farther along the beach. 
Now, we must be quiet. Voices carry on the water 
and we'll be heard." 

Making the beach at a spot some distance from 
where the other man must have touched, Bob Stokes 
helped his companion to disembark, drew the little 
craft up on the sand as far as he could and hooked 
its anchor in a log against which he stumbled. In 
the starlight the beach and tree growth of the island 
were dimly visible. Across the water eastward 
the lights of Martinsport gleamed far away. 

"You wait here while I reconnoiter," he said to 
Ellen Durand. "I'll not be gone long." 

She caught his sleeve. 

"No, sir, I'll go, too. If I stayed here alone, I'd 
be frightened for fear something happened to you. 
What if you didn't come back! And I'm just as 
eager to find out things as you are." 

"But " Bob began. 

Her grasp tightened. 

"I'm not afraid with you, but I'd see men on 
every side of me if I were left alone here in the 
dark. Why, we're miles from home! I'm going 
to keep my hold on you, Mr. Stokes, and go wher- 
ever you go. Don't you try to make me stay; I'm 
absolutely going with you." 



ADVENTURE AT THE ISLAND 145 

"But it will be really much safer here," he pro- 
tested. 

"No. And Pll not be a bit of trouble to you. 
Come on, I'm not even going to listen." She gave 
a little pull on his sleeve. 

"Well, I came here to find out something, so I 
guess there's nothing else for it," he stated. "Don't 
shriek, whatever happens. Just drop down and 
play dead." 

"I shall. But don't leave me." 

Slipping his arm into hers, he led her along the 
beach, searching the darkness before them and paus- 
ing from time to time to hearken. Only the low 
sound of the water lapping the sand came to their 
ears. They could distinguish each other's figures, 
but little else. A dim silken shimmer moved on 
the surface of the sea. 

"There's something!" Ellen Durand breathed, 
after a time. 

A line blacker than the darkness extended into 
the water. Bob stared at it. 

"A small pier," he whispered. "His boat's likely 
anchored at the end of it. Let me take your hand 
and lead; we'll turn in here." 

The beach sloped gently upward for twenty or 
thirty feet, where the trees began. Taking his bear- 
ings from the pier, he drew the girl along until 
they stood in the gloom of the woods, apparently 
in a path cleared through the undergrowth. They 
advanced slowly, their feet making no sound on the 



I 4 6 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

sand, and with the scent of pines all about them. 
Her fingers shut faster on his. 

All at once he halted. A beam of light shone 
through the trees before them. 

"I think our man's there," he murmured. 

"Aren't we going nearer?" 

"Certainly come along." 

He led her forward again, keeping a hand before 
him for obstacles and exercising every care to be 
silent. As he approached he saw the light came 
from a window and toward this he directed his 
steps, by alternate moves and pauses, until he made 
out the side of the house. Apparently it was a 
dwelling of no large size. At one end he beheld a 
glow where the light fell through an open door. 

A figure passed before the window, then ap- 
peared in the doorway. It was that of a short, 
stout man, who smoked a pipe and fanned himself 
with a palm-leaf fan. Situated as the small house 
was in the midst of the trees, it was shut away 
from any cooling draught from the water. He 
fanned himself and wiped his neck with a handker- 
chief and looked out into the darkness, with slow 
regular puffs at his pipe. 

"It is warm, very warm ach, I would give much 
to bury my face in a cold stein!" A voice within 
murmured a reply, at which the smoker in the door- 
way continued, "Yes, the time is short. And when 
we are come where there is beer, I'll take me a 
bath in it." He turned about and moved out of 
sight again. 



ADVENTURE AT THE ISLAND 147 

Stokes drawing Ellen Durand along with him 
circled the end of the house, until he found cover 
behind a clump of bushes ten paces or so before 
the door. Crouching there and parting the leaves 
they beheld a section of a room directly in line of 
vision. It was evident from the dilapidated state 
of the interior that the house had been long aban- 
doned and given over to decay, which made its 
present tenancy all the more strange. No effort had 
been put forth to improve the place, indeed, all 
the signs made clear that its occupancy was but 
temporary suitcases lying open but not unpacked 
on the floor, the pair of folding cots, the table 
knocked together out of boards, a small oil-stove for 
cooking, the lantern hanging by a cord from a 
rafter and the cheap glass lamp on the table, a row 
of large mineral water bottles against a wall, sev- 
eral wooden boxes in the middle of the floor with 
lids ripped partly off. Everything indicated brief 
possession. The stuff in the room had no value; 
the men could depart on a minute's notice. 

Two men were at the table: one sitting, a fair 
man with a pointed yellow beard, his cap pushed 
back on his head; the other, the smoker who had 
appeared in the door, standing across from and 
looking down at him. The former had a number 
of objects on the board where his hands rested, 
which he examined, now lifting one to inspect it, 
now another, and again fitting them together as if 
they were parts of a whole. From time to time the 
second man would remove his pipe, explain some- 



148 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

thing, point a finger at this and at that, give a wave 
of his hand, stroke his mustache reflectively, speak 
anew or nod. 

"The man sitting was the fellow in the boat," 
Stokes whispered to his companion. "I wish I 
could hear what they're saying." 

"That thing he's manipulating, what is it?" she 
queried, low. 

"I can't make it out." 

Again the smoker was pointing at the various 
objects on the table. Finally he laid down his pipe 
and walked to one of the suitcases, whence he 
brought a folded sheet of paper. This he spread 
open before his friend. The latter alternately stud- 
ied it and the parts of the mechanism before him. 

"We'll go back to the window," Bob told the 
girl. "Perhaps we can get under it and learn what 
they're at. I've a suspicion these men are up to 
something that ought to be known and guarded 
against." 

She caught his arm and pressed it. 

"You must be careful though," she returned, 
anxiously. 

"I'll be prudence itself I have you with me." 

"It's not of myself I'm thinking, but of you," 
said she. "You have the responsibility of the 
company now, so you mustn't take any unnecessary 
risks. I don't want you to take the notion into your 
head, presently, to walk in and interview these 
men." 

Stokes laughed under his breath. He could not 



ADVENTURE AT THE ISLAND 149 

see Ellen Durand in the darkness, but he was aware 
she was gazing at him. 

"Never fear," said he. 

"Well, then, I'm ready to creep with you to the 
window," she whispered. 

Retracing their way to the point where they 
had turned aside, they stealthily advanced to the 
side of the house. From the window sash the glass 
panes had long since disappeared and over the open- 
ings mosquito netting had been tacked. When Bob's 
outstretched fingers touched the weather boarding 
of the structure he stopped, gave Ellen Durand a 
warning touch on the shoulder, tucked her arm in 
his to assure her and stood motionless, hearkening. 
The pair had a position just without the edge of 
the panel of light falling from the window. As- 
sailing their nostrils was the musty smell that clings 
to damp, decaying habitations. 

Stokes felt a little quiver of Ellen Durand's 
body, as if the solitude and dismal character of the 
old dwelling had caused her to recoil. He was about 
to press her arm to give her courage, when he heard 
the men inside the room get to their feet. Then 
he saw the short, stout man remove the lantern from 
the cord and blow out the light on the table. 

"I'll take you there," the fellow said. 

The mysterious strangers went toward the door. 



XIII 

WHAT OCCURRED AT THE OLD WRECK 

STOKES quickly led his companion away from the 
spot, feeling his road before him in the gloom. 
Encountering a heavy vine that overspread a tree 
trunk, he drew her behind this, indeed scarcely 
gaining the shelter when the lantern appeared about 
the corner of the house. 

The two men came towards their concealment, 
reached it and brushed by while Bob and Ellen 
Durand breathlessly waited for them to pass. Pass 
they did, walking in silence and moving south in a 
direction that would take them across the narrow 
island, weaving in and out among the trees and 
bushes until the lantern as it grew more distant 
looked like a will-o'-the-wisp. 

"We might as well follow and learn whatever's 
to be learned," Bob Stokes remarked. "Shall we?" 

"I'm game," she replied, with a determined air 
which delighted the young fellow. 

"You've more courage than some men," said he, 
as they started after the light. 

"Or more curiosity, which is it?" 

"I insist on it's being courage. Now give me 
your hand. You had best keep an arm up to shield 

150 



AT THE OLD WRECK 151 

your face from twigs." And holding her fingers 
in his he led the way forward. 

The distance they had to go was not great, how- 
ever, for the island was not more than four hun- 
dred yards across at its widest. A few minutes 
of pursuing the lantern, whose faint gleams aided 
them somewhat in avoiding trees, and they heard 
the water along the southern beach. 

They quickened their pace and reached the fringe 
of the timber by the time the men had crossed the 
stretch of sand to the water's edge. There a long, 
low mass loomed black in the starlight, the hull of 
a wrecked vessel, they perceived, when it came with- 
in the lantern's circle of radiance. 

The men moved along the length of it. Appar- 
ently it was the bulk of some schooner cast on 
the beach in a hurricane. The stern lay low and 
half -buried in sand ; the masts were gone. But the 
upthrust bow and middle section rode high. Hoist- 
ing themselves up on the stern the two men they 
watched moved forward toward the waist of the 
wrecked vessel, where, after a pause, they vanished, 
light and all, as if by a trick of legerdemain. 

"Gone down into the cabin," Stokes said. 

"But what would they be doing there ?" 

"I'd give a good deal to know. I'm wondering 
if we dare chance a nearer view." 

"It's quite dark," Ellen Durand suggested. 

"And we could hide under the hull. Anyway, 
suppose they saw us. We should maintain that 



152 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

we've as good a right as any one to be on this 
island." 

"You'll not have to wait for me for fear of our 
discovery," she replied. 

Before he had time to speak again, she sped for- 
ward towards the black shadow of the wreck, her 
shape vanishing. Stokes ran hurriedly after her, 
overtook her and together they came to a halt on 
the sand before the prow, where they listened for 
any sound that might come from the invisible men. 
All was silent about the wreck. They heard only 
the soft lapping of the sea as it washed against the 
beach. 

"Come, we'll have a look at the other end," Bob 
said, catching up her hand again to keep her close 
by his side. "But we'll stay under the sea side 
of the hull where our chances are better of being 
unseen if those men should appear unexpectedly; 
they will descend to the beach where they mounted, 
on the other side." 

Towards the stern they groped their way. Thrown 
up on the sand as the schooner had been by some 
huge wave, it lay in an oblique position with the 
quarter-deck nearest the water ; indeed, they discov- 
ered the sand about the stern to be damp, and had 
their feet wet by the advancing slither of a wave. 

"This will ruin your shoes," Bob breathed. 

"No matter. What's a pair of slippers in an 
adventure !" was her low whisper. 

As they arrived at the stern Stokes struck his 
shins against an obstruction, which on touching 



AT THE OLD WRECK 153 

with his hand he found to be a small boat. Risking 
possible detection he lighted a match and held it in 
his cupped palms over the little craft; a row-boat 
drawn close up under the wreck, with oars stowed 
inboard, with fishing-lines lying on the seat, a num- 
ber of fish shining dully on the bottom and a coat 
and disreputable old hat flung down in the bow. 

Stokes extinguished the match, then for an in- 
stant took thought. Where was the fisherman? 
Was he somewhere along the beach, or was he in the 
abandoned wreck with the two men? If the lat- 
ter, his fishing had been a pretense and he had 
come to meet the pair in a secret conference. More- 
over, the fellow made one more enemy to look 
out for. Decidedly this island had a growing in- 
terest of its own. 

Squeezing between boat and schooner Stokes and 
Ellen Durand reached a place where their heads 
were above the stern bulwark, which allowed them 
a view forward along the deck. The vessel very 
likely had been an oyster boat and was some sixty 
or seventy feet long, with a small trunk cabin in 
the waist from which the windows and door were 
missing, as Stokes observed against the lighted in- 
terior. The gleams of the lantern shone up the 
companion way not more than thirty feet from 
where he and the girl stood; the lantern itself he 
beheld through the opening suspended from a hook 
in the cabin roof; and above the deck level which 
pitched upward towards the bow he perceived in the 
cabin the heads and busts of three men, as if they 



154 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

were cut off below the armpits the two men who 
had come with the lantern, and another, whom for 
a moment he could not clearly distinguish in the 
uncertain light. 

Apparently all three were standing talking, now 
with a remark from one and now with a question 
or answer from another. The two men from the 
old house were giving earnest attention to the third 
man, about whom to Stokes there was a haunting 
familiarity of head and posture. The talk ran on 
in low, quick exchanges, sometimes reaching the 
hearers in a faint murmur, but for the most part, 
owing to the nearer sound of the waves, a mere 
pantomime. And then all at once the third man 
leaned forward speaking assertively, so that his bare 
head with its rumpled hair and his face came full 
and plain within the light. 

A gasp escaped Ellen Durand. Stokes himself 
gave a start of surprise. 

"Do you see who he is?" he whispered, in amaze- 
ment. 

"Yes; I recognize him. I remember now that 
he was absent from supper at the boarding-house," 
she went on, in his ear. "What in the world can 
he be doing here?" 

"Doing his worst probably and I should like to 
know just what that is. I've a strong suspicion 
this meeting has something which bears on our ship- 
yard matters." 

"Mr. Andrews, of all persons!" 

"Though I've suspected him of several things, 



AT THE OLD WRECK 155 

I'll confess I was surprised when he turned his 
face and I knew him," was Stokes' answer. "And 
he's here to meet men one of whom carried a little 
German flag!" 

"But I can't believe he would be a traitor to 
well, to America," she exclaimed in a horrified 
undertone. 

"A fellow who is disloyal to his employers 
wouldn't find it a great step to be disloyal to his 
country." 

A movement within the cabin indicated that the 
talk was at an end. A few more words were ut- 
tered, Andrews made an energetic gesture with his 
arm as if to end whatever was under discussion, 
as if in fact brushing the others' opinions aside, 
and taking a step to the cabin door vaulted up the 
companion way. He was half along the deck to 
where the observing pair stood when the men as- 
cended after him, carrying the lantern, at which 
moment Bob Stokes drew his companion round the 
stern into the sheltering darkness. 

Andrews leaped down upon the beach, pushed 
his boat upon the water, waded a little way out 
with it. There he paused to regard the men on 
deck, who had posted themselves at the side with 
lantern upheld in order to witness his departure. 
Holding the boat and standing knee-deep in the 
sea he looked up at them in silence, the light dimly 
showing his figure clothed in old trousers and shirt, 
his face grim and set. 

None of the three spoke, curious, that silence 



156 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

too, Stokes thought. They remained thus for pos- 
sibly a minute, after which Andrews climbed into 
his boat and seized the oars. 

"Good evening, gentlemen," he shouted, and 
waved a hand. Then he set himself to rowing, 
pulling with long, powerful strokes, and disappeared 
upon the water. 

The two on deck continued to watch after him 
for a time. 

"Now he's gone, we must begin our work," said 
one, whom Bob imagined was the short, fleshy man. 
"You take the lantern and I'll get up that case of 
dynamite and we'll be off." 

Their feet retreated. Venturing a glance along 
the deck, Stokes saw them once more descend into 
the cabin, whence after a moment's delay they re- 
appeared. The man who had spoken carried a 
small box clasped against his stomach. 

"Let us be going first," Bob whispered. "I 
shouldn't want them to happen on our boat if they 
should take it into their heads to prowl along the 
other beach." 

"I'm ready." Ellen Durand stepped back as she 
spoke, then suddenly clutched her companion's arm 
struggling, while a sharp cry escaped her lips. 
"Help me, I've one foot in a hole!" she gasped. 

Stokes quickly drew her up to his side out of the 
small unseen cavity washed under the hulk's stern- 
post. 

"What happened?" he asked, low. 



AT THE OLD WRECK 157 

"Slipped into water up to my knee. I didn't 
mean to cry out." 

He shot a look over the deck towards the two 
men. That they had heard Ellen Durand's voice 
and taken alarm was only too evident: the one 
had set his box on the planks at his feet, the other 
had raised the lantern, and both were hearkening fix- 
edly with faces towards the spot. Next instant the 
bearded man exclaimed: 

"Did you hear? Some one's spying!" 

"At the stern, wasn't it? Listen again." 

Stokes stood taut of body, scarcely breathing, his 
hands still gripping Ellen Durand's arms, every 
sense alert. In the succeeding quiet the soft and 
persistent swishing of the sea upon the beach was 
the only disturbing sound. In the darkness of the 
wreck and the night the upheld lantern was the 
only spot of light. 

"I heard something clearly," the first man stated. 

"Perhaps it was only the squeak of a rat or tHe 
squeal of a floating seagull," the other returned. 

"No, that was a voice, a human voice." 

"Then we had better investigate." After a pause, 
the short, fat man went on. "He couldn't have 
come back; he wouldn't have had time. And any 
way he would not cry out." 

"Nein, no. It is some one else. Have you a 
pistol?" 

"Here it is." 

"Ah, good !" the bearded man exclaimed. "Come, 
we shall look." 



158 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Stokes noiselessly began to steal forward in the 
gloom of the hull, leading his companion. Both 
stooped below the line of the bulwark. On the deck 
they heard the men's feet pass, going toward the 
stern. 

"Bring the light and we'll get down on the sand," 
came to their ears, with unpleasant distinctness. 

As the two men came down the side of the ship 
to the beach, the escaping pair gained the cover 
of the upreared bow, from which dangerous spot 
Stokes immediately set off, leading Ellen Durand 
up the sloping stretch of sand to the wood. But 
before they reached this a brighter glow than the 
lantern's swept the sands ; Bob glancing hastily over 
his shoulder saw that a strong electric torch had 
been brought into play, which apparently the beard- 
ed man of the motor boat had produced from a 
pocket. Moreover, he had moved in their direc- 
tion while his companion remained to search about 
the hulk, and was systematically illuminating the 
beach all the way up to the nearby wood. 

Diminished as was the electric lamp's light when 
it touched the trees, it sufficed to mark objects. It 
disclosed a line of storm-washed drift and seaweed. 
Darting over another space it revealed for an instant 
a half-buried log. It brought out the shadowy mass 
of timber. It served indeed to discover Stokes 
to the man just as the former pushed Ellen Durand 
before him into the wood and he himself entered. 

A shout gave warning of the fact. 



AT THE OLD WRECK 159 

"Here to me, Hoffner, quick, with your pistol !" 
rang out on the beach. 

Holding to Ellen Durand's arm, Stokes plunged 
ahead in the darkness, keeping an outstretched hand 
in front, which saved him more than once from 
colliding with a tree or from falling headlong into 
a bush. Low plants and creepers caught at his feet 
and at those of the girl. Once a pistol shot sounded 
and a bullet sped through the pine boughs above 
their heads. 

"They don't see us; that was fired on a chance," 
he said assuringly to his companion. "They're not 
going to catch us, nor are they even going to see 
us." 

Over his shoulder he could now behold the glow 
of the light among the trees. Slanting away from 
the shifting track of the beam, he nevertheless 
pressed forward towards the middle of the island, 
until at last he found it necessary to seek a hiding- 
place in a thicket of bushes. The pursuers had come 
uncomfortably near. Indeed, as they hastened past, 
the men were within fifty feet of the crouching 
youth and girl, while the light of the torch rested 
for a brief space on their very screen in its search- 
ing sweeps of the wood about. 

"The man may be making for the house. We 
must prevent his entering there, at all hazards," the 
bearded searcher was saying as he went by. "After 
we look there we'll go over the whole island." 

"Yes, we must find him." 

As their voices dropped away, Stokes lifted the 



160 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

girl to her feet once more and began to follow, 
taking advantage of the dancing glow to find a way 
among the trees. Shortly the dim shape of the 
old house appeared within the projected beam. 

House, light and all were swallowed up in dark- 
ness when the men vanished inside the dwelling. 
Stokes circled towards where he knew the path to 
be, for he was determined to gain before his pur- 
suers the north beach where lay his boat. At a 
window the torch flashed once or twice, then sound- 
ed the slam of a door, and again the glow of light 
darted into view. The men having searched the 
house were taking up the hunt anew without waste 
of time. 

Once the beam of the electric torch swam over the 
wood, projecting illusive shadows from trees and 
bushes. One of the latter cast its shade over the 
fleeting pair, only to cease, whereupon Bob caught 
Ellen Durand in his arms, ran forward for a minute 
with the light threatening their discovery, and then 
came to a halt. He was now some sixty feet from 
the old dwelling, but at any moment the searchers 
might widen the scope of their circle. As the misty 
light again and again swept the place, he had a 
glimpse of a white streak on the earth nearby, the 
sandy path he sought. The illuminating glow 
darted forward and back and then returned once 
more to the immediate surroundings of the house. 

Ellen Durand had remained unstirring in his 
arms during the pause. Her hand rested on his 
shoulder and a strand of her hair brushed his cheek. 



AT THE OLD WRECK 161 

He could feel the quick beating of her heart. When 
the light had first shot among the trees about them, 
a little gasp had escaped her lips, but that was 
all. 

"We'll go on now," he whispered. 

"If you'll set me down, I'll walk," she said. 

"Wait until we're farther off. I've located the 
path and I remember its direction, even in the dark 
I'm used to woods. Besides, you can watch what 
goes on behind us." 

Advancing until he found the path under his feet, 
he set forward slowly but steadily. His companion 
from time to time observed the glow of the torch 
as it appeared and reappeared, reporting its move- 
ments. 

"I think the men are on the opposite side of the 
house," she said, "or we're getting farther away. 
I've lost it altogether. 

"We're leaving the place," said he, "and we'll 
be out of this in a moment. I think I hear the 
water." 

All at once her fingers closed on his coat. 

"I see it again, the light ! Back among the trees !" 
she cried. 

"Then they are coming here for a look. They 
won't catch us." 

Even as he spoke, he emerged upon the beach 
and they felt the coolness from the water upon their 
faces. He placed her upon the sand and turned 
about to examine the wood. A glimmer shone from 
the direction they had come. 



162 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"No time to lose; we must run," he said. 

Taking her hand, he started. They sped along 
the beach towards the spot where they had left their 
boat, running side by side, keeping close to the water 
where the sand was smooth and hard, until Bob 
said they must pull up. Moving therefore at a 
walk, they presently made out in the starlight the 
black form of their craft. 

Bob sprang to the log and loosened the anchor. 

"There they are; they've come out!" Ellen Du- 
rand said. 

"I see," said he. 

He stepped forward, put his strength against the 
boat and pushed it off the sand, then straightened 
up to watch. A hundred yards away a bright disk 
moved slowly on the beach, stopped, circled and 
stopped again. 

"Very likely they see our foot-prints," said he. 
"We must get as far out on the water as possible 
before they come in this direction." 

Assisting her to embark, he gave the boat a push 
and leaped in. By means of the anchor he worked 
its bow about, at the same time shoving the craft 
away from shore. He dared not start the engine, 
the sound of which would instantly betray their 
whereabouts, but must trust to the current to bear 
the boat along, which here as along the whole coast 
had an eastward set. At last he lifted the anchor 
in. 

"We're moving now, thank heaven!" said he. 



AT THE OLD WRECK 163 

"And so are those men, see," Ellen Durand re- 
sponded. 

The light approached along the beach. Its round 
glow touched the water, which trembled and 
gleamed under the radiance. All at once the torch 
went out. 

"They're going to hunt us now in the dark. 
Afraid they themselves may be seen, likely as not," 
Bob remarked. "Or they think if we haven't yet 
put off, they'll find our boat. So much the better 
for us." 

Their words were guarded. The water would 
still carry a loud tone to the men walking on the 
sand. As nearly as Bob could determine, the cur- 
rent carried the boat along the island at a rate that 
kept the interval about even, but their little vessel 
still remained only twenty-five or thirty yards from 
shore. If the searchers discovered their quarry close 
at hand upon the water, they might either open fire 
with the pistol or return to the pier and make pur- 
suit in the launch. 

Ellen Durand at length leaned towards Stokes. 

"Those wretches are enemies. Did you hear 
what they said of dynamite ?" she asked in a whis- 
per. 

"Yes. And I intend to see that they are rounded 
up." 

"What are they planning?" 

"Some bomb outrage that was a bomb they ex- 
amined and discussed in the house, I know now. 



164 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

They must be arrested before they do any dam- 
age." 

A quick breath sounded from the girl. 

"The ships! Your ships! I know it!" 

"I'm going to act as soon as we reach town," 
Bob stated. "I shall notify the police, secure their 
aid, come back here and get these fellows. Can't 
afford to delay a minute, whether it's our ships or 
something else they aim to destroy." 

"And what of Mr. Andrews?" she asked. 

"If the police catch these men, I'll include him 
in the arrest and see if he can't be made to confess 
the whole plot; if the men get away, as they're like- 
ly to do now they're alarmed, why, I shall let An- 
drews keep on as clerk till he again leads us to 
his accomplices and employers." 

"Strange as it may seem, I can't make myself 
believe he's guilty," she said, slowly. "I always 
thought him sincere and straightforward and hon- 
est." 

"Your feelings do you credit, but I'm afraid in 
his case they are mistakenly bestowed in his favor. 
To-night's revelations show him up in a clear light." 

"It seems so," she agreed, a little sorrowfully. 

But if Andrews' guilt appeared certain to Stokes, 
the young fellow's various connections with the plot 
were more than obscure, as were those of other in- 
terested persons. Where did Johnson and Farring- 
ton figure in the scheme against the shipyard? 
Where Broussard? The former two would not lend 
themselves to any alien attack upon the Stokes 



AT THE OLD WRECK 165 

property; that notion might at once be dismissed. 
But Broussard? Was he scoundrel enough to as- 
sociate himself with a plan to destroy the yard, or 
any American property in fact? And yet that the 
man was covertly working against the firm Bob was 
convinced. 

He finally gave the mystery up for the present; 
it was too deep. 

"If these men here could but be seized!" he said, 
voicing his thought. 

"You yourself will come back with the police?" 
she asked. 

"By all means. They will need a guide, for one 
thing; for another, I wouldn't skulk at home." 

She appeared to meditate this. 

"Well, please do me a favor," said she, final- 

iy- 

"Yes." 

"Just stand behind a tree, if those men start 
shooting when you and the police go after them. 
Let somebody else be shot I may want another 
boat-ride." 

Stokes yielded to a low laugh. Then he reached 
out and patted her hand. 

"And you shall have many of them. Not one 
girl in a thousand would have kept as cool to-night 
as you've done. Consider me your gondolier here- 
after and we'll keep the boat busy!" 

The sea bore them steadily onward. The island 
was at last passed, and sank into the night. Once 
again only, for a moment, they perceived the torch 



166 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

flash forth, when they were well away from the 
place. Then the light vanished. Fifteen minutes 
later Stokes started the engine and the little motor 
boat sped for the twinkling lights of Martinsport. 

"I'm beginning to like the south," said Bob, in 
connection with nothing that had been said. 

Ellen Durand made no answer. At the instant 
she had been thinking of herself held close in his 
arms during their escape from the house, her heart 
feeling the beat of his. He had thought her cool; 
but her mind had been a tumult of confused feel- 
ings. The very recollection made her pulses throb 
faster. And at his words her cheeks for no ac- 
countable reason grew warm. She thanked her 
lucky stars it was dark so that he could not see 
her face. 



XIV 

UNDER SUSPICION 

BOB STOKES had not accompanied Ellen Durand 
to her boarding-house after their return to Martins- 
port, for both recognized the urgent necessity of 
securing police aid without a moment's loss of time 
in order if possible to apprehend and arrest the 
conspirators who made the little island their hiding- 
place. When Bob had escorted her to the main 
business street to place her on a street car that 
would carry her home, he said : 

"In a way this has spoiled our evening " 

"No, no; it has made it worth while," she in- 
terrupted quickly. "I only wish I were a man, so 
that I could go with you and share in the finish. 
Don't imagine that a girl a real, alive girl, I 
mean cares only for a placid, undisturbed exist- 
ence, whose most exciting events are receiving can- 
dy and flowers and going to dances. There are such 
girls, yes but, goodness gracious, what kind of 
girls are they and what, if anything, have they in 
their heads ! But it's such happenings and such ex- 
periences as this of to-night that I want; things 
that grip and thrill a person. Why, this evening's 
adventure is worth a hundred years of ordinary 

167 



1 68 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

dead-level existence! Perhaps to-morrow I'd not 
say this, but I'm still excited with it all and the 
truth will bubble out." 

She looked up at Bob with eager smiling face 
and shining eyes. 

"Good ! That's what I like spirit," he said. "If 
you had shown that our chase through the woods 
had upset you, that you were annoyed because your 
foot was wet and you had been whacked by bushes, 
and that you preferred to recline languidly and 
comfortably on a seat in the boat than run a risk 
of mussing your dress, I should never have asked 
you to go boating again. No straw figures for me, 
thank you ! See, I'm talking straight out, too. And 
if we don't have a thousand more rides on the 
water, more or less, it will be because the sea has 
dried up." 

"But you mustn't expose yourself needlessly when 
you go back with the police for those men, Mr. 
Stokes, or we may not get to take those boat 
rides," she responded, with a note of uneasiness 
marking her tones. "Those men may be desperate, 
in fact, I'm sure they will be desperate, for didn't 
they fire at us with a pistol? They will be on the 
lookout now. They " 

"If they haven't fled; that's my one fear," Bob 
put in. 

"Why don't you go on to police headquarters? 
I mustn't keep you longer, and there's not the least 
reason in the world for your waiting here with me. 
A car will come in a minute." 



UNDER SUSPICION 169 

Stokes glanced along the street, hesitated, then 
shook his head. 

"I'll stay until it does come," said he, decisive- 

iy- 

Hard on his words however the particular car 
for which they waited came in sight. 

"Now, don't worry about what may happen to 
me, for nothing is going to happen," he said as 
he assisted her to mount the car platform, at the 
same time giving her an assuring clasp of hand. 

"Be careful just the same," she replied, earnest- 
ly. "I shall be anxious. That island seems much 
more dangerous to me now than it did when we 
were there." 

Next instant the street car was carrying her 
away from the spot and as she glanced back she 
caught but a glimpse of Bob Stokes' tall figure strid- 
ing off. And her thoughts continued to follow 
the young fellow, thoughts that were apprehensive 
and not a bit doughty now since the prospective 
danger concerned him alone, while she sat staring 
out the car window at the dimly lighted avenue 
along which she was being borne. 

With his leaving her she suffered a depression 
of spirits and as it were a lack of purpose, which 
in truth was but the natural reaction following the 
exciting events of the evening. It was as if she 
had been swept forward for a time into a different 
and more impetuous current of life, where strange 
unbelievable things occurred, where wild lawless 
minds strove and dark passions ruled, where one 



170 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

moved in the chill shadow of death, and then sud- 
denly had been swirled forth again into quiet, ac- 
customed waters. All that had happened by the 
old abandoned house and at the wreck on the beach 
and in the gloom of the wood now seemed like a 
fantastic dream. For, was not this street car jog- 
ging along as it always did? Were not the other 
passengers riding to their homes in the same tired, 
preoccupied manner as ever? Did Martinsport 
show any sign of activity more than it usually did 
at this time of night? 

Arriving at her boarding-house she felt no de- 
sire for sleep. The porch was untenanted, the 
grouped chairs alone remaining where the other 
boarders had sat when earlier in the evening she 
took her departure with Robert Stokes under the 
fire of their inquisitive eyes. Doubtless the young 
fellows and girls had dispersed to the "movies" or 
on walks, or other amusements, and had not yet re- 
turned, as the hour was still early. So here she 
seated herself to become again absorbed in the 
recollection of her adventure and the confused emo- 
tions it aroused. 

Vaguely she realized the events of the night for 
her signified a change. The gray curtain which hid 
the future had parted a little way; it appeared 
trembling as if about to be drawn wholly aside. 
To reveal what? To affect her how? To allow 
her to walk ahead to what joys or what pain? 
Feelings rather than thoughts made her aware that 
go forward she must to whatever might be. Per- 



UNDER SUSPICION 171 

haps Robert Stokes would be involved in that fu- 
ture, perhaps not, but in any event her eager nature 
would press on to a full experience of life. 

It was possibly an hour later that a step on the 
walk awoke her from her introspection. By the 
light of a street lamp that fell on the front of 
the house she recognized the advancing youth as 
Andrews. He wore the old hat and rough clothes 
in which he had been garbed when she beheld him 
on the deck of the old hulk talking to the two 
strangers. Until now she had forgotten him alto- 
gether, but she at once grasped the fact that his 
return in a rowboat from the island must neces- 
sarily have been slow. Indeed, he could not have 
been much past the point of the island when Stokes 
and she were speeding from it in the motor boat. 

He perceived her sitting in the shadow as he 
mounted the porch steps, peered at her when he 
came nearer and finally made her out. 

"Oh, it's you, Miss Durand," said he, in a re- 
lieved tone. "I'll sit down, too, for a few minutes if 
I don't intrude; I'm tired. Was afraid you might 
be one of the peroxide crowd, who give me the 
jim-jams." 

Ellen Durand had straightened in her chair, 
alert, curious, and amazed that she did not imme- 
diately experience a feeling of repulsion for the 
young man. He did not look in the least like a 
conspirator; he appeared quite natural and ordi- 
nary. 



172 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"What have you been doing, fishing?" she in- 
quired, without too great a display of interest. 

"Yes. But I didn't have much luck. Caught 
one or two white trout, but mostly croakers and 
cat which are no good. Didn't get enough fish to 
make it worth bringing them home." 

"Well, you might take your friends along some 
time when you go out on the water. Don't you 
think a girl ever likes to boat ride?" 

"I'll ask you next time," said Andrews. "But 
we won't fish then, unless you put on old clothes. 
Fish mess things up." 

"Where did you go?" 

"Oh, one can fish anywhere outside the har- 
bor." Andrew gave an indefinite wave of his hand. 

"You don't seem to be very enthusiastic about 
it," Ellen Durand stated. "Perhaps you haven't 
gone to the right place to have luck. Over by the 
little island west of here might be a good spot; it 
would be a pleasant boat ride there, anyway." 

Andrews turned his head to gaze at her. Doubt- 
less it struck him as a singular coincidence she 
should speak of the island when he had but come 
from it. 

"I suppose one could fish there as well as any- 
where," he said. 

"We could have a lot of fun exploring the island 
even if we caught no fish," the girl continued. 
"It's said that the place is interesting, with an old, 
tumble-down house in the middle of the trees and 
an ancient wreck on the beach. I love mysterious 



UNDER SUSPICION 173 

old houses and wrecks. But perhaps you've been to 
this island so many times, Mr. Andrews, that you're 
tired of it." 

"I've been there," he answered, slowly. 

"And is there a wreck on the beach ?" 

Again the young fellow regarded her with a puz- 
zled face, as Ellen could see by the lamplight from 
the street falling on Andrews. But there was no 
suspicion on his countenance. 

"Yes, there's a wreck all right," he replied, re- 
luctantly. 

"Perhaps it's some old stranded pirate craft." 

A faint grin came on his mouth at this romantic 
idea. 

"Its captain might have been an oyster-pirate; 
that's as near as it ever got to stealing anything, 
I think. It's just the wreck of an oyster schoon- 
er." 

"Well, you're going to take me to see it some- 
time, aren't you?" she asked. 

"Yes sometime." 

"When is sometime? That's very indefinite." 

"Pretty soon. Some evening "' 

"To-morrow evening will suit me nicely; I 
haven't a thing to keep me and I suppose you'll 
be free then, too. Shall we plan on going to-morrow 
evening first thing after supper?" 

Andrews stood up suddenly at her words, dis- 
playing an odd mixture of consternation and alarm. 

"Good Lord, no!" he exclaimed. "I mean I'll 



174 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

be busy to-morrow night." He stared down at her 
blankly. 

"I believe you're afraid. Of ghosts, maybe. 
Ghosts are supposed to haunt old -wrecks. Of course, 
if you're really going to be occupied to-morrow 
evening " Her tone expressed a faint incredu- 
lity." 

"It's not ghosts, Miss Durand," he stated, vis- 
ibly miserable under the sting of her tongue. 

"Ah, then it must be that I'm the drawback. I 
certainly did not intend to intrude myself into a 
boat ride where I was not desired. So if you will 
be so kind, we'll consider the subject " 

"Miss Ellen!" Andrews burst out. 

"What other inference am I to draw?" she in- 
quired, coldly. 

"You know better than that. I'll be glad to take 
you to the island sometime, but not to-morrow 
night." 

Ellen Durand sat still for a moment. 

"There's something mysterious about this and 
I do believe you're afraid." 

Andrews drew in his breath sharply. Then he 
sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and sit- 
ting humped over. 

"I won't take you there to-morrow evening, that's 
all there is about it," he stated, in a sullen tone. 
"Think what you please." 

"But there must be a reason?" 

"Certainly there's a reason but I'm not going 
to tell you what it is," said he, roughly. 



UNDER SUSPICION 175 

Ellen Durand when she had begun the conver- 
sation did not know what she would learn; at any 
rate she had not expected Andrews to announce his 
visit to the island and to give an explanation of the 
same ; her lead in fact had been rather for the pur- 
pose of obtaining some slight information that 
would enable her to confirm or to disprove his com- 
plicity in the plot being hatched by the two for- 
eigners. But now at his obstinacy she felt a wave 
of anger. It still seemed wholly out of character 
for him to be a conspirator, and yet his words and 
secretiveness indicated he was bent on protecting 
the island from intrusion. 

"Oh, well. As you suggest, I shall think what 
I please," she remarked. "You may rest quite easy 
as to the future so far as I'm concerned, in the 
matter of boat rides and everything else; you will 
not have to take me into consideration in your 
plans." 

Andrews did not look around at her words, or 
speak. He set his jaw between his palms, elbows 
on knees, and gazed doggedly towards the street. 
Two, three minutes passed in silence, while Ellen 
Durand's resentment was slowly replaced by a 
growing curiosity as to what queer, vehement, un- 
expected thoughts filled the other's mind. All at 
once he expelled a deep breath. 

"It doesn't really make any difference what you 
think or any one thinks after I've gone," he said, 
in a hard voice. "I've been as good as fired ever 
since young Stokes came; I got in bad with him 



176 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

the first day he showed up, and his opinion of me 
has grown no better fast; I don't know why he's 
kept me hanging on. I'd go to-morrow, only I 
first intend to show him he's wrong. When I've 
done that, I'll go fast enough." 

"You're going somewhere, Mr. Andrews?" 

"Yes. To France that's the place for men like 
me. I shall enlist as soon as I'm free here, join 
the troops most likely to go over first." 

Ellen Durand felt her breath taken by this un- 
expected declaration. 

"You mean you would fight for our side?" she 
asked, quickly. 

Something near a sniff sounded from Andrews. 

"Whom did you suppose I'd fight for? The Ger- 
mans?" he retorted. 

"I was merely wondering." 

"Merely wondering!" he exclaimed, without en- 
deavoring to conceal a trace of contempt. Then 
all at once he dropped his hands and faced about to 
scrutinize her. "You seem to have some funny no- 
tions in your head about me," he remarked. 

"You believe in loyalty then?" she asked. 

"Of course." 

"To America? To your employers? To your 
friends?" Ellen Durand questioned, with deliberate 
incisiveness. 

The youth leaned forward to peer at her where 
she sat in the shadow, his countenance depicting 
astonishment or an excellent simulation of such. 



UNDER SUSPICION 177 

"Aren't you feeling well to-night?" he inquired. 
"Your talk is sort of well, flighty." 

"I'm perfectly well and perfectly calm," was her 
level response. "I'm merely interested in learning 
your views in regard to loyalty. You haven't an- 
swered my questions." 

"Whether I think I should be loyal to America 
and to Stokes Brothers and all that?" 

"Yes." 

A new thought appeared to strike the other. His 
jaw dropped at its adumbration on his brain, but 
next instant his mouth shut tight. 

"Whether I am loyal to America and the com- 
pany, you mean," he exclaimed. "That's what 
you're trying to learn, isn't that it?" 

"It's the same thing," she interjected. 

"And you'd like to know whether I'd be a traitor 
to America, whether I could be bought by Ger- 
man enemies, say?" he continued, with a hard smile. 

"I didn't ask that," she responded weakly, ap- 
palled by the embroilment into which her ques- 
tions had drawn her. 

"And what you're really seeking to learn is 
whether or not I'm loyal to the company and wheth- 
er or not I've sold out to its enemies," Andrews 
stated, harshly. "Well, it's quite plain to me now 
that you suspect, perhaps actually believe, that I 
have. Maybe Stokes gave you that idea. I won- 
der if that isn't the reason he has kept me instead 
of firing me, so he could make sure. Well, I shall 
stay right on at my job where you both can have 



i;8 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

your eyes on me all the time, until I am discharged 
or until matters shape themselves so I can quit and 
join the army." 

He arose, shoved his hands in his trousers' pock- 
ets and glared at her defiantly. Ellen Durand also 
came to her feet. 

"Mr. Andrews, I " she began, hurriedly. 

He stopped her with an angry gesture. 

"I'm no grandstand hero, understand that," he 
said, through his teeth, "but nobody can discuss 
with me my patriotism or loyalty to America and 
to the company that hires me, or to anything else 
that has a claim on my allegiance, and that in- 
cludes you, Ellen Durand, along with everybody 
else. You can have Stokes discharge me or arrest 
me, whichever you please, but you can't insult me to 
my face by questions of my patriotism and loyalty. 
I'm a clerk of the company; you and Stokes can 
give me orders and expect them to be obeyed. If 
you think I'm a traitor, you know what you can 
do. But if I answer any questions it will be in a 
court and not at the hands of any private person 
who happens to suspect me. I reckon that's enough 
to say." And without waiting for reply, he marched 
into the house. 

Ellen Durand stood quite motionless for a full 
minute after the last thump of his feet in mounting 
the stair within had died away. Had she been less 
healthy she would have felt ill over the matter; 
as it was, she suffered a distressing sensation of 
having unexpectedly bumped her head against a 



UNDER SUSPICION 179 

brick wall. She was aware, moreover, that she had 
converted a friend into an enemy; that alone was 
enough to upset a person. 

"But what was he doing with those men at the 
old wreck?" she asked herself, finger on cheek. 



XV 

A NEW CAUSE FOR PERPLEXITY 

To Ellen Durand's eager question next morn- 
ing concerning the police search of the island Bob 
Stokes shook his head. 

"As I feared, the men were gone," he stated. 
"They had cleaned all of their traps out of the 
old house and vanished. After a look around 
through the woods, there was nothing for us to do 
but come back, as with their big motor boat they 
could be miles away in any direction seeking a 
new hole in which to hide. The police will keep 
a lookout for them, however, for they will be slip- 
ping back here again in an attempt to carry out 
their plans." 

"But now they will be more careful and there- 
fore more dangerous than ever," said she. 

"So shall we be more careful. I shall increase the 
number of guards at nights, and have Mulhouse 
warn our loyal workmen to keep a brighter look- 
out than ever for trouble and trouble-makers dur- 
ing daytimes. And I shall be ready to grab An- 
drews at the first sign of new treachery." 

The troubled shadow which now always came 
upon the girl's face when she considered the clerk's 

1 80 



A NEW CAUSE FOR PERPLEXITY 181 

mysterious connection with the affair once more 
rested upon her brow. Stokes observed her with a 
pang of jealousy stirring in his mind at her per- 
sistent and unreasonable belief in Andrews' honesty. 
Though at this moment she said nothing, he felt 
that she still somehow was unconvinced of the 
young fellow's disloyal part in the plot, despite 
his presence on the island last night; was uncon- 
vinced because of some latent bit of stubbornness 
or some mistaken intuition, or possibly because of 
a simple generosity of heart which could not ac- 
cept a one-time trusted acquaintance's infamy as 
an actual fact. 

"If these suspicions had fallen upon Mr. Mocket 
instead of Mr. Andrews, queer as it may seem te 
you, I should have believed them the sooner," she 
remarked at last, musingly. 

Stokes thrust his hands into his pockets and 
stared at her. 

"Of all extraordinary things, why?" he ex- 
claimed. 

"Well, I can't give a really satisfactory explana- 
tion, in fact, can only say that I don't like Mr. 
Mocket and never have liked him from the first 
day. There is something about the man " 

"Has he ever been uncivil to you, or presuming?" 
Bob interrupted quickly, taking a step towards her. 

"No, Mr. Stokes. Never in a single instance. 
He's always perfectly polite and if anything re- 
served; in fact, he has always kept to himself and 
to his work, displaying no interest whatever in me 



182 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

or my duties. I appreciate that on his part. But 
and perhaps I shouldn't speak of it he repels me 
notwithstanding his respectful manner. For all his 
subdued air and quiet bearing and look of integ- 
rity, I dislike the man and somehow distrust him. 
The feeling has grown on me of late; his eyes be- 
hind their glasses seem to know too much and at 
moments appear to be even mocking. It's only an 
intuition, a shadowy something I can't define, but 
it is very strong. And I haven't in the least such 
a feeling for Mr. Andrews, no, not even after last 
night's happening." 

"Intuitions aren't always reliable," Bob answered. 

"I know but women depend upon them a great 
deal. There's something else too; it flashed into 
my mind one day that Mr. Mocket wasn't a native 
American. So I asked him and he answered that 
he was born in New York; but I felt as he spoke 
and as he looked at me that liis words were not 
true. If you've ever noticed closely, his English 
while perfect is at times a little precise, as if it 
had been learned instead of unconsciously acquired 
well, with his baby teeth, say. And there is a 
slight foreign cast to his features." 

"So great a part of our population isn't native 
American that even many born here may have such 
a look," he said. 

"It may all be moonshine of mine, Mr. Stokes, 
but I'll confess that I've wondered " 

She broke off as if in finishing the sentence she 



A NEW CAUSE FOR PERPLEXITY 183 

might be committing herself too far to her sus- 
picions. 

"Please continue," Bob said. "What you say 
will be kept in confidence." 

"Well, I've wondered if he had anything to do 
with betraying your interests. For one thing, he's 
a far more capable man than Mr. Andrews, who is 
more energetic than subtle; a man, I think, who 
would be much better qualified than Mr. Andrews 
to direct a plot." 

"Andrews isn't directing it ; he simply acts under 
orders from some one else who provides the brains," 
Bob stated. 

"Perhaps I've become so nervous over everything 
that I've taken to suspecting the wrong persons. 
It is true, Mr. Mocket has never once given me 
real grounds for believing him anything but what 
he appears to be." 

"Don't imagine I haven't given serious attention 
to what you say," he replied. "For I have, and I 
shall consider your suggestion again. But hard 
facts alone can lead us to the conspirators ; a good 
many facts at present throw a bad light on An- 
drews. I'll take a good look at Mocket, mark his 
enunciation and so on, however. We can't afford 
to overlook any possibility that may reveal the plot- 
ters, or assume that the cashier or any one else is 
beyond proof of complicity." 

vStokes proceeded in this particular matter with 
promptitude. In the course of the next half hour 
he called the man in for a conference in respect to 



184 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

certain financial items and during their talk took 
occasion to study Mocket's lineaments, features and 
general countenance as well as his utterance. When 
he finally dismissed the cashier, he began thought- 
fully to pace the floor. 

Ellen Durand had been right. About the man's 
speech there was, when one marked it closely, a 
suggestion of unnaturalness, or rather as she had 
said of preciseness, and once or twice Bob had per- 
ceived a tendency on Mocket's part to shave a "w" 
into a "v," which under ordinary circumstances 
Stokes would never have perceived. About the 
man's face, and his thin figure, too, was an illu- 
sive hint of an alien race strain. But of what race ? 
His name bespoke English blood, at least. Yet what 
of the clipped "w" ? After all could the man be a 
Teuton? 

The thought seemed preposterous. All the deduc- 
tions were vague and unsubstantial. Still Stokes 
had a feeling yes, he must admit it a feeling sim- 
ilar to that asserted by Ellen Durand ; a sensed ap- 
prehension that Mocket was different from what 
he appeared on the surface; that he left an impres- 
sion of restrained and concealed force, of hardness 
and carefully veiled contempt and distrust. The 
man's eyes in fact had glowed in a way his glasses 
could not altogether obscure, as if within 
him burned some deep, secret, consuming fire which 
was not elsewhere revealed upon his thin, severe 
countenance. Truth was, Bob Stokes was exceed- 



A NEW CAUSE FOR PERPLEXITY 185 

ingly perplexed while at the same time moved by 
unaccountable misgivings. 

*'I wonder, Miss Durand, if such a thing is pos- 
sible as Mocket and Andrews working together for 
the company's betrayal," he said, finally. 

"They have never by their actions shown any 
secret understanding between themselves, or for 
that matter manifested any intimacy," she respond- 
ed. 

"That may be only a precaution to throw others 
off their guard." 

But she shook her head at this suggestion. 

"Mr. Andrews doesn't like Mr. Mocket, I know. 
He's never said so outright, but he has unconscious- 
ly shown that he dislikes the man. But if Mr. An- 
drews is guilty, that doesn't amount to anything, 
does it? I'll confess that so many things have hap- 
pened that my reason tells me in spite of my in- 
tuition, when I think them over, he must be asso- 
ciated with the plotters. And the thought frightens 
me." 

"You mustn't allow it to do that; we shall take 
care of Andrews, and Mocket, too, if he be impli- 
cated, all in good time." 

"It makes me tremble to think those men may 
be criminals. The truth is there are some things 
more I know that I've never told you. To-night 
I'll study the whole matter over and then to-morrow 
perhaps give you this information. First, I want 
to be certain I'm justified, though." 

"I'll not press you to tell me anything against 



i86 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

your desire. But there is a great deal involved 
our business, our ships, and possibly men's lives." 

"Nothing shall be kept back you should know," 
she answered, with anxiety sounding in her voice. 
"I want to set everything clear in my own mind 
first, however." 

Her distress over what occupied her thoughts was 
so evident that Bob Stokes decided it wise to let 
the subject rest, leaving her to reach a decision in 
her own good time. As he had occasion to go forth 
into the yard he therefore took up his hat and left 
the building, giving the two men in the outer office 
a sharp glance as he passed through. But both were 
industriously engaged at accustomed tasks; An- 
drews checking over bills as virtuously as the most 
honest clerk in the world, and as if he knew noth- 
ing about any island, or wreck, or secret meeting 
with strangers, or wooden case of dynamite last 
night hidden in the old hulk; Mocket footing ac- 
counts calmly and carefully, his black coat and 
spare figure as respectable as a clergyman's, his 
thin ascetic face bent in attention to his page. 

"You would never guess from them we were all 
sitting on gun-powder," Stqkes remarked to him- 
self, when he was in the open. 

In the yard the huge hulls of the building ves- 
sels dominated the scene. As he moved forward 
along the length of the one nearing completion, with 
workmen busy about it, with the ceaseless signs and 
sounds of toil on every hand, his heart swelled with 
the exultation of a great task being carried through, 



A NEW CAUSE FOR PERPLEXITY 187 

and with a fresh determination to thwart the com- 
pany's enemies, crush them, and safely launch these 
future stout merchantmen of the sea. 

In imagination he beheld the ships with all sail 
set driving ahead through the ocean, bearing their 
burdens of freight and in a degree serving man- 
kind. Riders of the great waters, servants of na- 
tions! And he was moved by a profound feeling 
that into these wooden shapes went something more 
than a mere hope of commercial gain something 
good, noble and sublime ; the unconscious contribu- 
tion of spirit of a multitude of faithful patriotic 
men. 

The thought was to him an inspiration and an 
encouraging force. The fact that these boats were 
being constructed against obstacles and in spite of 
treacherous attacks made them but the more pre- 
cious. They were moreover typical of what Amer- 
icans could do in an emergency when the world 
shipping was threatened; and that was to hyn a 
source of keen pride. And in a way the ships were 
symbolic, too! Symbolic of the nation's new mer- 
chant marine, of the vast fleet of vessels as yet 
shadowy but which was beginning to rise every- 
where along our shores; of the fleet that was again 
to bring back the ship supremacy of the United 
States of a century before, that was to revive and 
restore our flag upon the seven seas, that should 
once more in shipping make us independent of the 
world. A vast fleet rising out of the mists to greet 



i88 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

the sun ! Ships rising from a dream into a reality ! 
Ships resurgent! 

Bob Stokes, thrilled by the conception, pulled off 
his hat and stood bare of head beside the building 
ship, gazing reverently into space as a vision. 



XVI 

SNOHOMISH JIM PLAYS A CARD 

ABOUT nine o'clock of the evening, two nights 
after Bob Stokes had led half a dozen of Martins- 
port's police force to the island, only to find their 
game flown, Snohomish Jim sat with two cronies 
in a stuffy little room at the rear of an old, tumble- 
down, wooden store building on a back street. A 
rickety outside stair rising from the alley led up 
to the second floor where it was located. Sections 
of the plastering were missing, revealing the lath. 
A scurry and squeak of rats could at times be heard 
under the flooring. The windows were boarded 
up. The only furniture of the room was several 
boxes used for seats and a grimy table bearing a 
smoky lamp and three partly emptied pint bottles 
of whiskey, one to the hand of each of the three 
men sitting about the light. 

"And if he gives me much more of his lip," one 
of Jim's companions was saying, a man with a 
lined, red-patched, evil face and the forefinger gone 
from his left hand, "if he gives me much more of 
his dirty lip, I say, I'll hit him behind the ear with 
a piece of pipe some night." He paused to mouth 
a string of curses. "We're pulliig our freight, 

189 



190 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Pete here and me, pretty quick anyway when we've 
got a little more easy money." 

His present grievance was directed against Bob 
Stokes, who had come on him loafing at work and 
ordered him to get busy or to get his time. The 
man had chosen the former alternative. But hence 
the threatened retaliation. 

"Good luck to you, boys," said Jim, reaching 
over and giving each of the men a hearty clap on 
the shoulder. "You're men after my own ideas, 
with no nonsense about you and with spirit. This 
is no place for fellers like us I'm beating it my- 
self when I've got some traveling coin. You say 
you're going when you've got a handful of easy 
money but I ain't seen any easy money around 
here. That's why I'm moving on, where there's 
a chance to do a little quiet job for good pay. Why, 
a feller slipped me a hundred once for just stick- 
ing a piece of dynamite under a freight car ! Noth- 
ing like that around here. I'm going north where 
the money grows. Here's to better days for all 
of us!" 

He thrust the mouth of the bottle between his 
lips and gulped down a swallow of the fiery liquor. 
The others did likewise. 

"Better days it is," said the third of the trio, 
setting down his bottle and "wiping his mustache 
with the back of his hand. He relighted his cigar 
and turned his bloodshot eyes on Snohomish Jim. 
"Where you heading for?" he asked. 

"Them munition towns," said Jim. "There's 



SNOHOMISH JIM PLAYS A CARD 191 

strikes and labor wars going on there, they say. 
That's my meat. Always a chance to pick up a 
bank-roll for easy work." He lolled back in his 
chair and snapped his big fingers. "I asks no 
questions when some boy pushes me a bunch of bills 
and names his job. We workingmen are ground 
down by the capitalists and so got to grab easy 
money to be even. We're getting only what's com- 
ing to us, say I. Blow the rich men to hell, too! 
The capitalists put me in the pen for five years at 
hard labor, wearing their dirty stripes, and I'm 
for dynamite and the red flag now, boys !" 

Snohomish Jim pounded the table with his huge 
fist and smacked his lips. He looked quite as evil 
and infinitely more ferocious than his mates. 

"What's the matter with Jack and me going along 
with you?" Pete inquired. 

"Sure. You're the right sort of pals for any 
feller, you and Jack." He laid an arm about the 
latter's shoulder. "We'll go north together and turn 
a trick for big money and live easy for a month, 
lads. Plenty of grub and booze and girls. Plenty 
of fun and no morning whistle! Heh, Jack?" 

"I'm on," said Jack. And he sang a line of a 
ribald song. Then he raised his bottle, exclaim- 
ing, "Drink hearty, men." He drained the flask 
and cast it on the floor. "I'll call Markham to 
bring another, the old thief !" 

As he arose and went towards the hallway, Jim 
called him back. 

"Your money's made of tin, you lop-eared hel- 



192 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

lion! Sit down and go to that." He drew a fresh 
pint flask from his hip and tossed it on the table, 
then hoarsely chanted, " 'It kicks a man at twenty 
rods, it kills at forty-nine' " 

"When'll we go?" asked Jack, seating himself. 

"To-morrow or next day. When I get my time 
at the shipyard, I'll have enough for a ticket," 
Jim said. 

Pete looked significantly at Jack. 

"We got that job," said he. 

"Aw, let 'er go. You ain't tied to building ships," 
said Jim. 

"This ain't ships and it gives us a roll." 
. "Why don't I get in on it, then ?" Jim demanded. 
"I don't hang round waiting for you fellers, with 
big money up north, unless I make something. And 
you want some of that coin that's flowing up in 
them munition towns, don't you? A thousand dol- 
lars a job, maybe two or three thousand, if it's 
dynamite work and you can write it down in your 
little book I'm there with the dynamite goods." 

Pete's face lighted with greed. His fingers opened 
and closed. 

"You're our pal; so we've a right to our split 
out of it," he said. 

Jim's air grew peevish. He took a drink from 
his bottle, frowned, swore an oath or two. 

"Then what we waiting for?" he asked. 

"For the easy money we got coming first," said 
Pete. 

"I don't see none." 



SNOHOMISH JIM PLAYS A CARD 193 

Jack pushed his hat on one side. 

"What's the matter with taking Jim in and mak- 
ing him come across with more cash?" he ques- 
tioned Pete. 

"Him" did not refer to Snohomish Jim; "him" 
pertained to some person unnamed, to whom Jack 
and Pete had engaged their services at private hire. 
The big woodman's eyes gleamed at the word. 

"Maybe we can and Jim here knows about using 
the stuff," was the answer. 

"What stuff?" Jim demanded. 

"Powder, dynamite." 

"Sure I do! Used to shoot rock in Alaska 
'fore that, in Africa. Slept with my head on a 
box of dynamite. I'm an expert." He gave a 
wave of his hand, as if the fact were quite beyond 
question. "I can fix a charge that wouldn't more'n 
blow a knot out of a knot-hole, or that would 
send every stick of Stokes' ships to hell. That's 
me. Used to shoot off a pinch in my hair for a 
hair-cut when the barber wasn't around. All in 
knowing how to handle it. Don't let the booze spoil, 
boys they're making more all the time, too. What's 
he paying for this job?" 

They drank. When Jim had wiped his lips and 
long mustache, he repeated the question. 

"Two hundred dollars," said Pete. 

A snort came from Jim. 

"Ought to be more. When do you pull it off?" 

"He's to let us know day or two, maybe. Week, 
maybe. Waiting for the right night, he says." 



194 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Snohomish Jim appeared to meditate. Finally 
he laid a hand on the shoulder of each and drew 
the men nearer. 

"You're getting a hundred apiece tell him you 
need me to help," said he, "and stick up the price 
to five hundred. He won't have time to get other 
men now, and he'll dig up the coin. That means 
traveling money for us, pals. We'll blow away up 
north with the cash in our pockets. Make him pay 
for his fun. Five hundred ; that amounts to more'n 
one-sixty each feller of us, so you see I'm making 
you money right at the jump. And when we're up 
in them munition towns, take it from me, boys, we'll 
clean up a roll as big as your leg! Tell this feller 
here it's five hundred or no go; tell him you've 
studied it over and it's a three-man job ; tell him we 
got to have the cash the morning of the work, or we 
don't shoot a stick, for we must plan to travel fast 
and light when the celebration's over. D'you get 
me?" 

Apparently they did. The prospect of an increase 
in the remuneration for their services fired their 
imaginations exactly as the whiskey heated their 
blood. 

"If he don't pay five hundred, we'll smash his 
dirty head," said Jack. "You're a square pal, Jim, 
and I seen it the first drink we ever took together." 
He swayed a little in his chair. "I says to Pete 
then, That guy's all there and square.' ' 

Pete was occupied by another thought. 

"He ought to have paid more for them jobs we 



SNOHOMISH JIM PLAYS A CARD 195 

done already," he stated, in a sullen tone. "And 
we had to split with other fellers we got to do 
things we couldn't tend to." 

"What did they do?" Jim questioned. 

"Nothing but kick in with the bad work," was the 
disgusted reply. 

"They was mostly caught and fired," said Jack. 

"Well, this feller who's hiring us has got to pay 
five hundred, or we quit," said Jim. "And why 
not tell him so immediate? If this job what is 
it, Stokes' boats ? is going to be pulled off maybe in 
a couple of days, then we got to have the cash in 
our pockets right off. Business first, that's me. 
And what's the use of waiting, boys ? We're doing 
the job, we ought to have the say-so when. Tell 
him to-night. Let him pay us to-morrow; we'll 
pack in the stuff in our dinner-pails " 

"He says that he'll have bombs we can throw," 
said Jack. "Ain't that what he told you, Pete?" 

"Yes." 

"Let 'er go bombs, then. And we'll hide in the 
yard at quitting time till dark, shoot, beat it and 
hop a train for them munition towns. Do you do 
the talking with him, Pete? Well, round him up 
to-night and tell him what's what. To-morrow 
this time we'll be traveling north with five hundred 
and our wages in our pants. And then the bright 
lights for us, lads. Pass round that bottle, Jack, 
till we kill it." The flask passed from hand to 
hand, until Pete gulped down the last inch of liquor 
and flung the bottle into a corner. 



196 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"I'll telephone him I want to see him right away," 
he said, jumping to his feet 

"Go to it, Pete, you're the feller to make him 
come across," Jim exclaimed. 

They tramped out of the room, leaving the smoky 
lamp on the table behind them, and passed down 
the rickety stair into the alley. Coming forth upon 
a side street, they entered a cheap night restaurant, 
where Pete presently obtaining a telephone connec- 
tion proceeded to hold a guarded conversation 

"Hamburger steak and coffee for three, you black 
ape," he ordered the negro behind the counter, when 
through his colloquy. Then addressing his com- 
panions, said, "Meets me in half an hour at his 
house, so we'll eat till then. Says I got to see him 
alone, like I always have." 

"Tell him I'm your brother, who usually works 
with you and has just come to town," said Jim. "A 
feller can't kick much against a man's only brother." 

Jim guffawed, with the other pair joining in the 
laugh. The restaurant was empty of eaters except 
for themselves, as its patrons had not yet begun to 
drop in, so they had nothing to fear by being over- 
heard. 

"How long will you be gone?" Jack asked of his 
comrade. 

"Don't know. Maybe an hour, I guess. He 
doesn't like to give up coin, but I'll make him head 
in." 

The negro appeared and slid their meal on the 
counter before them, whereupon they fell to con- 



SNOHOMISH JIM PLAYS A CARD 197 

suming the hamburger and fried potatoes with 
gusto. When they had finished, Jim said : 

"Well, I'm going to bed and I'll see you in the 
morning. Keep the screws on him, boy, till he says 
he'll pay." 

"I'm hungry yet; stick around, Jim," Jack said. 
With an oath he ordered the negro to cook him a 
plate of eggs. 

But Jim wanted no more food. Outside the door 
he again told Pete to make "him" agree to pay five 
hundred, then the two men separated. 



XVII 

A SECRET CONFERENCE 

JIM FLANAGAN strode along the dimly lighted 
pavement, keeping an eye over his shoulder in order 
to follow the movements of the man from whom 
he had just parted. He perceived Pete arrive at an 
intersection of the street, turn the corner. Instant- 
ly Jim pivoted about and set out to follow him. 

Had he acted on his natural inclination while in 
the boot-legger's back room over the alley, he would 
have seized the two scoundrels by their throats and 
then and there made settlement for the injury in- 
flicted upon Frederic Stokes. His long fingers 
itched to smash their heads together. He had been 
in Stokes Brothers' employ for ten years and friend- 
ship as well as hire and work was represented by 
that period. Loyalty was his dominant feeling. 
But his native coolness, which at all times prevailed, 
directed his actions in order that he might discover 
the chief conspirator and serve the greater interests 
of his firm by getting, so to speak, the man's head 
into a bag. The active tools, Pete and Jack, should 
receive their deserts later. 

He rounded the corner and observed Pete slouch- 
ing ahead, something less than a block in front. The 

198 



"A SECRET CONFERENCE 199 

pursuit led across the main business street, then 
out of the business section altogether and into a 
residence district at the extreme edge of town given 
over to workingmen's and truck gardener's cottages 
separated from each other by vacant ground. Jim 
found it necessary to fall even farther back behind 
the man he trailed, for they were now the only 
pedestrians on the street, the householders of the 
quarter apparently being in bed. As an added pre- 
caution against any betrayal by sound he slipped off 
his boots to carry under his arm. He could see 
Pete at regular intervals when the latter passed 
under successive gas lamps. 

Under one, finally, the fellow halted to consult 
his watch, afterwards looking back and to all ap- 
pearances listening. Then, as if assured all was 
well he proceeded on his errand while Jim sprang 
through the weeds bordering the walk out into the 
road. The latter with long strides lessened the 
space between his quarry and himself until he could 
hear the other's footsteps on the cement walk. Pete 
was now barely fifty paces in advance. 

All at once the man turned in at a small dwelling 
with no near neighbor and showing no light. A 
few pines stood about the dim structure, left uncut 
when the ground had been cleared, whose thick 
boughs intensified the gloom. The silence was 
broken only by faint sounds from the city. Jim, 
harking in the road, heard Pete's feet ascend a small 
porch, next heard a low interchange of words, and 
finally the closing of a door. 



200 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

The time consumed had been considerably more 
than the half hour set to lapse for the meeting, 
but the unknown had nevertheless awaited Pete's 
tardy arrival. Isolated as it was, the house was 
well placed for a secret conference Jim could smell 
garden patches all about. A peaceful neighborhood ! 
One wouldn't suspect anything doing here! He 
cocked an ear for a minute towards the house, then 
advanced without sound. 

Reaching the porch he listened again. He finally 
moved round a corner of the dwelling, guiding him- 
self with a hand on the weatherboarding until his 
fingers encountered a window ledge. A murmur of 
voices proceeded from inside. Once there came a 
slight flare as from a lighted match, which illumi- 
nated the window panes. The men were talking 
in the dark and one of them, probably Pete, was 
smoking. Snohomish Jim placed his boots on the 
grass by the house, squatted himself down pro- 
ducing a plug of tobacco from which he bit off a 
liberal piece, and thus prepared to conduct his watch 
in comfort. 

Occasionally the voices rose in pitch. The men 
were in altercation over the matter of the five hun- 
dred dollars and the new recruit. Jim grinned to 
himself. He could even make out, he thought, 
Pete's hoarse tones. He munched his tobacco and 
listened and meditated. 

Suddenly an indistinct sound caused him to prick 
up his ears. Then he noiselessly let himself down 
upon hands and knees. Some one was moving in 



A SECRET CONFERENCE 201 

his direction along the side of the house; his acute 
hearing distinguished the soft brush of feet on the 
grass. Once he thought he glimpsed a vague form 
stealing towards him from the rear of the building, 
hugging its side. When a few feet away, the new 
visitor paused and Flanagan heard him expel a long 
breath. After a minute he came on, his finger-tips 
giving forth a gentle rubbing sound on the side of 
the house as he moved. 

Just at the second he was about to collide with 
the woodsman, Snohomish Jim arose like a shadow 
before the man. His long arms shot out, his hands 
closed about the other's neck, a big thumb shut off 
the unknown's windpipe, while a foot kicked out 
the man's legs from under him. The whole opera- 
tion was executed neatly and without scuffle. For 
a little the prisoner, his head jammed down on Flan- 
agan's boots, fought desperately to free himself, but 
Jim pressed him flat with his own weight. 

"Don't you peep, if you want to breathe," Jim 
hissed. "I'm going to let you have air now, but 
if you open your mouth to make a sound it'll be 
good-night for you; I'll break your neck." 

At the release of his thumb, the victim gasped 
with painful suspirations until his breathing once 
more became normal. Jim still retained a palm 
about his neck, but with the other hand produced a 
match, ignited it against his knee and keeping it 
shielded held the flame to his captive's face. After a 
scrutiny he blew out the light. 

"Well, boy, I've got your number," said he in a 



202 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

whisper. "You're the cub in the office at the ship- 
yard. What you doing here?" And when the 
other continued silent, he added, "Come through, 
if you don't want me to shut off your talking ap- 
paratus for good. Say it quiet and careful, too." 

"Trying to learn what these men are doing here." 

"Then you ain't one of 'em ?" 

"No." 

"You on the side of the Stokes?" 

"Yes." 

"No lies now, or I'll tear your head off." 

"I'm not lying," was the vigorous assertion, "and 
I'm not a dirty traitor to the men that hire me! 
If you're against them, I'll say the same anyway!" 

Jim lifted his body off his prisoner. 

"That's one mark to the good for you and not 
so loud !" he ordered. "Now sit up. But I'm keep- 
ing a hand on you, so no breaks. I'll look you over 
again later on." 

His prisoner availed himself of the privilege. He 
said nothing for a time, but appeared to be rubbing 
his throat. 

"Where are they? I was trying to locate them 
when you grabbed me," he whispered, presently. 

"Inside here. But I can't hear what they say. 
Got to sit tight." 

"Well, who are you? My name's Andrews." 

"Call me Jim, boy, just call me Jim. That's 
what they call me to breakfast by. Know what 
these fellers are up to?" 

"No." 



A SECRET CONFERENCE 203 

"How did you get here then?" 

"Followed the first man. Laid low while he 
sat on the porch until the other feller came. When 
they went inside, I moved round the house to find 
a way inside if I could." 

The conversation continued in whispers. The 
pair sat in the angle formed by the house and the 
earth, the figure of each just visible to the other. 
Jim at this stage removed the hand which had been 
kept in precaution on Andrews' shoulder. 

"How did you come to follow the man in the first 
place ?" he asked. 

"Been watching him. Wanted to find out who's 
responsible for what's been happening in the yard. 
After Mr. Stokes was nailed with that plank, I 
knew somebody was out to do the company up. So 
I got busy." 

"Who's this feller you trailed?" 

"He works in the yard," Andrews answered, non- 
committally. 

"Learn anything about him ?" 

To this question the youth made no immediate 
response. He peered at his companion in an en- 
deavor to make out his lineaments. Figuratively 
as well as literally he was talking in the dark. 

"Say, you Jim, supposing you loosen up some," 
he said. "I'm not giving up everything I know. 
You might be out to do the company yourself, for 
all I can tell. Who the devil are you, anyway?" 

A reassuring pat on the back met this query. 

"There, boy, there. I'm guard-deen of the 



204 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Stokes family and raised 'em from the bottle, al- 
most," Jim stated. 

"I guess you're pulling for them, if that's the 
case." 

"All the time, including nights and Sundays. 
I'm trailing the crooks myself and got here by cov- 
ering the second feller. Whoever starts a fire in 
the Stokes' timber finds Jim Flanagan loping 
through the sticks after him, with both hands open." 

Andrews grunted. 

"They're some hands too," said he. 

"You didn't get any real feel out of 'em, boy, I 
handled you tender and reserved-like, observing 
you didn't have any heft to speak of. You ought to 
swing an ax for a few years." After a pause, he 
remarked, "Doesn't the man you followed live 
here?" 

"No, I don't believe any one does," Andrews re- 
plied. 

Snohomish Jim reflected upon this fact. It indi- 
cated that the crooks' employer was using it as a 
rendezvous to prevent Pete from learning his true 
domicile. It might indicate that Pete did not know 
in the least who the man was, and never had seen 
his face, if the meetings had all been conducted 
thus in the dark house. Learning that Pete was a 
suitable tool, the chief plotter could have arranged 
indirectly for a first meeting here and engaged him 
and his mate to do his criminal work. If the men 
were too curious regarding his identity, they could 
learn nothing from the house; if they disclosed 



A SECRET CONFERENCE 205 

the nature of the plot, his face remained unknown 
to them. He doubtless used a false name. He might 
have a key to the house with no authority whatever, 
using the dwelling for his night conferences with- 
out the owner's knowledge. That would not be a 
difficult trick to turn in an empty abode in this lone- 
some part of the city. The fellow had covered his 
tracks like a fox. 

But this boy Andrews knew who he was ! 

"Have you been here before?" he questioned. 

"No. He headed out this way one night last 
week, but I was too far back. I didn't see where 
he turned in and lost him. It was only after Mr. 
Stokes was hurt that I took to watching where he 
went, though I'd begun to be suspicious before." 

"What's his name?" 

Andrews shifted his position on the ground. 

"Well, I'm not saying till I get the goods on him, 
if he's guilty. No need of naming names yet." 

"All right, boy," said Jim. "Glad to see you 
don't spout, anyway. That's something. Most fel- 
lers shoot off their mouths too much as it is. Play 
your cards close to your vest till the bets are all in, 
then play 'em hard. That's me! So you run out 
your string and I'll follow mine and maybe we'll 
meet up at the end." 

"But I'll say this much; I don't think my man's 
the head of the scheme. There's another higher up 
and a big man," Andrews asserted. 

"Then that's where the bank-roll is," said Jim. 

"Wouldn't be surprised. But my suspicion isn't 



206 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

more than a suspicion. I followed my man several 
times to an office, the office of this other gentleman, 
when no one was wise I was around. Wasn't sup- 
posed to be away from work myself. Took a 
chance, however. I wanted to know where he 
went, and then when I learned where he was going, 
I wondered why he was visiting this rich man. By 
asking quiet questions I discovered he had worked 
for the big sport before coming to the Stokes Com- 
pany, though he had always kept mum about it. 
He's been to see him several times in the last ten 
days. Then he called him up once I looked up 
the number afterwards when he thought I was 
busy. Said, 'Matters are progressing.' That was 
straight after a string of cars was derailed by a 
spiked switch. It sounded mighty queer, coming on 
top of the accident. And I asked myself what busi- 
ness he had reporting anything to anybody outside 
the office, anyway. Stokes Brothers pay him his 
salary." 

"Right-o!" 

"Well, that's all, but I'm betting my job that if 
money's being spent by this man in the house here, 
I know who's putting it up," Andrews declared. 

"It's being spent. They're arguing a five hundred 
dollar deal in there now, lad." 

Andrews drew a deep breath. 

"Then Main's putting up that settles it!" An- 
drews exclaimed inadvertently. 

"And who's this guy Main?" Jim asked. 

"One of the half dozen rich men in Martinsport. 



A SECRET CONFERENCE 207 

You might as well know, since I've said his name. 
Owns most of the gas company. 'Gas' Main, they 
call him. Big walloper. Put a crimp in a strike 
last summer when he reduced wages, by importing 
a. bunch of thugs who beat up a dozen workmen to 
an inch of their lives. The town's small, so the 
strike petered out. Not big enough to fight back." 

"What's he got to do with the Stokes?" 

"Now you're asking something. If I knew, the 
whole rotten scheme would be plain," Andrews an- 
swered. "That's what I'm anxious to find out, but 
it's not likely I shall." 

"Boy, you forget Jim Flanagan is out for bear," 
that worthy stated. "When I line my traps, I al- 
ways bring home bear meat. If this 'Gas' Main is 
prowling in Stokes' tract, he's going to be snapped 
by the foot and then fried in a pan. Part your hair 
by that, Andy, part your hair by that." 

Whether or not he would do so, Andrews failed 
to announce. The sudden opening of the door at 
the front of the house and a sound of voices upon 
the porch interrupted their colloquy. Pete and his 
companion had come forth. Flanagan, with An- 
drews on his hands and knees behind him, crept 
cautiously forward until within earshot. 

"I've conceded your demand in regard to your 
brother and the money, but to-morrow night is too 
soon," said he whose tones were unknown to Jim. 
"Perhaps in two or three days; I'm as desirous of 
having the affair concluded as you are. But I re- 
serve the right to say when." 



208 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Well, we can't hang round forever," Pete 
growled. 

"You're getting good pay and doubly so now that 
I've raised the amount," the other answered. "One 
of you had better stop work and remain where I 
can get in touch with you any minute. At your 
boarding-house, say. I may know by Monday." 

"We'll all quit work at noon Monday then and 
be ready," Pete answered. 

A moment's silence ensued. 

"Very well. And you'd better leave the whiskey 
alone till you're through. I want you sober when 
the time comes. If you're drunk " 

"Who's going to be drunk? Don't preach to 
me." 

"See that you are sober, then. And now, don't 
attempt to call me up for another meeting like this, 
for I expect to be occupied every minute hereafter 
until the thing comes off. I'll not return to this 
house again. Are you sure you can trust your 
brother?" 

"Huh. With my last dime! No squarer feller 
ever lived than Jim, barring none." Pete's eulogy 
was uttered with a vigor that delighted one hearer. 

"Very well." 

"What about the bombs? Do you bring 'em to 
us?" was the inquiry. 

"No. I explained that before. They will be 
ready at the yard; you'll receive them there. I'm 
taking no chance on any one stumbling on them in 
your possession. All that's necessary for you and 



A SECRET CONFERENCE 209 

the others to do is to follow my instructions, be at 
the right place at the right time and do the work." 

Pete sniffed. 

"And all you have to do is to have the bundle of 
cash in our hands by evening that day," said he, 
"we'll do the rest." 

"It will be delivered in a package to you at your 
hotel by a messenger boy, who'll take a receipt. 
And now, a last word. To make sure that you show 
up, there'll be another hundred for you personally 
when I meet you in the yard." 

The listeners heard Pete give a step forward in 
surprise. 

"What's that!" he exclaimed. 

"Another hundred for you personally, I said." 

A grunt of pleasure escaped the hireling. 

"Mr. Smith, you're as fair and square a man as 
ever I done business with," Pete asserted heartily. 
"I never hope to see a squarer. We'll do your job 
for you quick and handsome, especially since we 
got Jim now, and you can figure on us as true pals. 
There'll be sticks falling all over town, so you better 
have your umbreller." And Pete broke into a jocose 
laugh. 

"Well, that's all for to-night I'll not keep you 
longer," said the other. 

"All right, I'll hit it for town. Sleep merry, boss." 

Pete descended the steps and set off. 

"Remember to quit work and a/wait word from 
me," was sent after him. 

"Sure. We'll be ready." 



210 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Thereupon Pete proceeded on his way. After a 
time a cheerful whistle came back to the others, 
dying with distance as his footsteps diminished. 
Pete had picked up a hundred dollars more of easy 
money; his heart was light. 

On the grass at the end of the porch Snohomish 
Jim and Andrews lay unstirring, still as the dark- 
ness itself. The man who had stayed behind con- 
tinued to stand where Pete had left him, appar- 
ently listening until assured that his tool had really 
departed. For five minutes after Pete's last foot- 
step had stopped he waited, then he himself went 
down and away. 

Jim and Andrews drew themselves to their knees. 

"Well, I've rested my feet, anyway that's some- 
thing," said Snohomish Jim. "Always like to give 
my corns a chance. Wait till I get my boots." 



XVIII 

WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SHIPS 

AN unexplainable restlessness, a desire to escape 
for a brief period from the strain of warding off 
secret enemies of the company and safeguarding 
the property and to enjoy a free light-hearted hour, 
and a yearning for companionship, too, resulted 
Sunday in Bob Stokes telephoning Ellen Durand 
proposing an automobile ride into the country for 
the afternoon. In a state of suspense more than he 
would have admitted even to himself he awaited her 
answer, and experienced a huge relief and quick 
pleasure when after a meditative pause she an- 
nounced she would be glad to go. At about three 
o'clock therefore they were riding at leisurely speed 
along a road through the pine woods lying north 
of Martinsport. 

On either side arose the thick timber, with the 
soft languid sunshine playing among the tops of 
the tall straight pines and dropping beams even 
into half -hidden marshy spots marked by a riotous 
growth of ground palms, vivid green vines and 
underbrush. The air was scented by a pungent 
woodsy odor. An occasional bird glanced sound- 
lessly across the open roadway. At intervals when 

211 



212 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

they passed some old untenanted cabin in a clearing 
or a worked-out abandoned turpentine camp, the 
lazy silence and solitude of the woods seemed the 
more profound. 

"Restful, isn't it?" Stokes said. "There's noth- 
ing like getting away from people into timber land 
to clear one's brain of vapors and fill it with ozone. 
There's something eminently sane about trees in 
spite of the fact that men have sometimes grown 
queer from living too long alone in the woods." 

"I love to come into the woods at times, but I'm 
afraid I should grow queer too if compelled to live 
in a forest a long time at a stretch. Five years, 
say," Ellen responded. 

Stokes smiled. 

"Who wouldn't? A healthy normal person 
doesn't need or want solitude. If one is busy at 
work in the timber, why, that's different; and even 
so, there's always a reaction when one has been 
away from civilized society too long. That ex- 
plains, and perhaps excuses, the 'tears' lumber-jacks 
and loggers go on when they hit town after several 
months' absence. Too much 'solitude' in their sys- 
tems. But it's good to get out for a few hours like 
this and smell bark once more." 

"Yes, indeed." 

"But I prefer to do it as I'm doing it now. With 
another," he remarked, looking about at her and 
smiling again. 

Her eyelashes fluttered the barest trifle, while 
involuntarily she drew in a quick breath. She 



NOTHING TO DO WITH SHIPS 213 

glanced aside at the trees lining the roadside and 
slightly averted her face in fear lest unbidden color 
were rising there. 

"I think every one does who isn't melancholy 
and you certainly are not that." 

Her composure suddenly returned at the words; 
she faced him as if to scrutinize his countenance 
for any possible trace of gloom. Then she shook 
her head and continued: 

"I don't believe you're the sort of man who 
would ever be melancholy under any circumstances. 
For that matter, I don't imagine I ever should be; 
I can be sad, or angry, or stubborn, or perhaps even 
revengeful, though I'm not sure, but I could never 
sink into a state of morbid despondency." 

"You have too much spirit," Bob said. "The 
thing that interested my brother in Seattle and me 
when your telegrams first came was your spirit. 
Fighting spirit too, I call it." 

A soft laugh came from Ellen's lips. 

"Do I look like a fighter?" she questioned. 

"You look your sweet self." 

The words slipped from his lips without con- 
scious intent on his part, or volition. And then as 
he realized they were uttered a little throb of pas- 
sion began to beat in his breast, and he knew they 
were exactly what he had been wanting to say 
without daring. 

"I suppose that means I don't look belligerent," 
she stated, presently. "However much fighting 



214 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

spirit I may have, I don't care to appear as anything 
more than a girl, as girls usually are." 

Her dark eyes, with their dusky glow of light, 
consulted his. 

"Not many who came to know you would class 
you with the ordinary run of girls, I imagine," Bob 
returned, emphatically. "Why, you're a hundred 
times more intelligent, and interesting, and well, 
alive. You are " 

Ellen Durand checked what more he was about 
to say. She was laughing and blushing too in con- 
fusion, for her companion's speech was decidedly 
earnest. 

"See where you're driving the car! Nearly off 
the road into a tree !" she exclaimed. "I'm enjoying 
your flattering description of myself, but I don't 
want it at the risk of my neck. You weren't watch- 
ing the way at all." 

Bob steered the car back into the middle of the 
road, without experiencing any particular distress 
over the circumstance of his heedlessness. 

"Here's a track branching off west; we'll try it 
and see where it leads. But everything I said was 
true," he remarked. 

And truly to the young fellow she was all and 
more than he had asserted. Essentially feminine, 
she possessed in marked degree the qualities that 
distinguish and attract: an abundant health, youth 
and an ardent eagerness to adventure on life, an 
independence and quickness of mind, an instinctive 
sympathy of soul, and that haunting element of 



NOTHING TO DO WITH SHIPS 215 

mystery which both defeats and charms man. In 
the depths of her eyes seemed to lurk thoughts Bob 
Stokes could not plumb or guess, and indeed sug- 
gested possibilities of passion and resolve and sac- 
rifice of which she herself did not dream. Who, 
in sooth, can measure the profound forces of which 
a rich, full and pulsing nature is capable? 

"Do you know where this road leads ?" she asked, 
after a time. 

"I haven't the least idea," he replied. 

"Then we're exploring." 

"Yes." 

"So much the better; the unexpected may lie just 
around a curve," she stated. "Some people want 
always to keep to the road they know, for fear 
something may happen or they may become lost. 
What is so dreadful about being lost?" 

"Not a thing, except in the person's mind," Bob 
answered promptly. "One need never be lost, you 
know, if one keep his or her mind cool, though in 
a place one has never been before or knows nothing 
about. There's always a path out and home. Pros- 
pectors go over hundreds of miles never traveled 
before and are not lost. Timber cruisers plunge 
into forests they've never seen before and aren't 
lost. A person is never lost anywhere until his 
coolness of mind is lost and he grows frightened. 
All that it is necessary to do when one becomes be- 
wildered in an unknown place is to halt, keep calm, 
observe the signs, such as the direction of the sun 
and of streams and a few other pointers given by 



216 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

nature, and set one's self straight, then move out 
according to the signs." 

"That sounds simple, but is it?" And then she 
added, "I believe I should keep cool, even if I was 
frightened. And I should not be frightened long; 
as I said, there's really nothing dreadful about be- 
coming lost, unless one were a long way from peo- 
ple and water and food. The uncertainty would 
give the experience a zest." 

"And you talk of going to New York? You 
were made to live on the frontier," Bob exclaimed. 

"Ah, not live there! A taste of the wilderness 
might be exciting but it would not satisfy. Peo- 
ple the millions of people in a great city make the 
real wilderness for one to what shall I say, pros- 
pect and cruise in, and perhaps find treasure and per- 
haps not, but in any case have the joy of searching." 

"For what?" was the brief question. 

"For " Ellen Durand paused, sitting in con- 
sideration. "For happiness, I suppose, most of all. 
For knowledge and experience and wisdom and 
love, and happiness in the end." 

"I didn^t know New York or any other large city 
had a monopoly of those things," he said, a smile 
hovering on his lips. 

"Oh, they haven't, of course." 

"I doubt if the average person there, living in the 
turmoil he does, has as much happiness as one liv- 
ing away. As for knowledge, it depends on what 
you mean by the words. Experience of a par- 
ticular, limited kind, yes. Wisdom ? Rather sharp- 



NOTHING TO DO WITH SHIPS 217 

ness. And so far as love is concerned, no less prob- 
ably, no more certainly, for so far as I've ever 
heard love happens anywhere and everywhere with- 
out regard to surroundings, in New York and in a 
desert and in Martinsport. Same with happiness. 
One's a state of heart and the other a state of 
mind, and not the State of New York or the city 
either, isn't that so?" 

Ellen Durand shook her head. 

"I only know that I've been starved for friends 
and happiness and contentment here," said she, "so 
I'm ready to try somewhere else. Perhaps it's just 
the glamor of a big city " 

"That's it partly, I fancy," Bob interjected. 

"But that's something; Martinsport hasn't even 
that." 

The young fellow beside her felt himself combat- 
ing a force vague, intangible, illusive, just what 
he could not say. Unexpressed desires and long- 
ings and dreams perhaps, shadowy hopes and stifled 
aspirations. It was as if he beheld her with arms 
reaching forth for what he could not see. And 
he felt himself perplexed and baffled, while a feel- 
ing like jealousy stirred within his breast at this 
formless thing which drew her away. 

"You're so terribly indefinite," he expostulated. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, in what you're going to seek for." 

"I don't know myself what it is, except that I feel 
it is there what I want and need." 

Stokes lifted his eyes to the treetops in a vexed 



218 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

and despairing glance. He felt the uselessness of 
further attempts to define her purpose. 

"It all comes down to that over- worked phrase 
'seeing life/ " he stated. 

The girl beside him straightened impulsively. 

"That's just it using the words in their best 
sense," she exclaimed. "Life people living to the 
fullest! With all the struggle and strife and pain 
and joy and swift movement and variety "' 

"And sordidness and degradation and crime and 
poverty, don't leave them out," Bob put in. 

"Yes, if necessary. Those things too." 

"I don't believe you know in the least what you're 
really doing when you plan for that," said he. 

"Most assuredly I do." 

"I'll continue to retain my doubts." 

"You may. But I'm absolutely in earnest; and 
I know exactly why I'm going and what I want." 

Bob looked at the road before him for a time. 

"When did you say you were going?" he asked, 
at length. 

"In the autumn." 

"Well, I shall have left Martinsport myself long 
before that time," he said. "Frederic should be 
up and able to attend to business in six weeks or so, 
which will enable me to return to Seattle. By the 
time the first boat is launched, say, or soon after. 
Think of me once in awhile when you're being 
jostled about in the metropolis." 

And he turned his blue eyes upon her with a 
quizzical inquiring gaze. 



XIX 

THE OPENING VISTA 

THOUGHT of New York and its anticipated multi- 
plex experiences in store for her suddenly paled and 
vanished from her mind at his announcement, as 
the rosy tint of sunset all at once fades from the sky. 
She felt an odd tremor in her bosom, a sinking of 
heart, a sense of dismay and bereavement. Mar- 
tinsport without his presence, his tall active figure 
and clear eyes and sanguine countenance and cheer- 
ful friendly voice, would henceforth be unendura- 
ble. She had an instant's fright at the realization 
of how swiftly and unconsciously he had become 
the center of her attention, interest, thoughts; of 
how keen was her enjoyment of his company and 
how empty the moments when he was absent, of 
how she waited for his words and thrilled to his 
vibrant tones, his glance, his very nearness. And 
she dumbly apprehended that happiness for her 
was not in any city or multitude for the reasons she 
had asserted, but would be in whatsoever spot, town 
or wilderness, he might be. Had he not said and 
her breathing almost ceased as her mind encom- 
passed the truth of her feeling love is not in cities 
but in the heart? 

219 



220 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

She ventured a look at his face. It was set 
straight ahead, a bit thoughtful, a little unhappy 
even, and decidedly grim. Her plan of going away 
from Martinsport had distinctly displeased him; 
and at the recognition of the fact a flutter of joy 
beat in her breast. He cared whether or not she 
went away. 

"Do you like lumbering better than ship-build- 
ing?" she asked, after a time. 

"I think I should like it as well, if I knew some- 
thing about it," he replied. "I'm really only man- 
aging the general business; Mulhouse is actually 
the builder. But I'm learning something of how 
ships are constructed, for I'm absorbing all the 
knowledge of the craft that I can in a short time. 
As a matter of fact, I came here chiefly to protect 
our interests as you know, discover and defeat our 
enemies, and keep things running as well as possi- 
ble until Frederic can take hold again." 

"Which includes building the ships and launch- 
ing them," said she, with a smile. 

"Yes. That has to be done. Men do things in 
an emergency many times that they would never 
dream of doing under ordinary circumstances. 
Frederic had studied up on the business : he had a 
fair grasp of it before he began. I had to jump into 
his place and make up with nerve what I lack in 
knowledge. He had the audacity the other day to 
remark " Stokes broke off, with an amused grin. 

"To remark what, if I may ask?" 

"That I remain in charge here after he's well, 



THE OPENING VISTA 221 

so that he can give his time to expanding this yard 
and to starting another in the east somewhere. Ship- 
building's the thing, the big thing of the future, he 
declares; and he does nothing now while lying in 
bed but work out plans. A shipyard on the coast 
at home too is in his mind, where we can use our 
own lumber. We'll build the ships, he says, and 
our other brother, John, will finance operations 
he's the money-shark of the firm. It sounds well 
when he's singing the song and has me entranced. 
But, oh, the gray hairs it would give us all before 
we were through!" 

The girl sat in contemplation for a moment. 

"You could run the yard here of course, if you 
set out to do so," she exclaimed confidently. "Who 
doubts it! Perhaps you don't know everything 
about building vessels that's to be known, but I 
have observed you enough to believe it wouldn't be 
long before you had a thorough knowledge of the 
work. You've been studying at the office until long 
after midnight nights, that is, I suppose you've been 
studying the matter of ship construction, for one of 
the guards said you were there. And what a mag- 
nificent conception of your brother's for more yards 
and ships!" 

"Well, it's captivating, I admit if we're not all 
blown to kindling-wood first," Bob said, with a 
warmer tone. 

"You're not going to Ki blown up; we'll see to 
that." 

Her determined utterance and vigorous nod, and 



222 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

the unconscious use of the little word "we," be- 
speaking comradeship as it did, brought a satisfied 
smile to Bob's lips and a gleam in his eyes. She 
was loyal and staunch and courageous. If it were 
not for that one recalcitrant idea she held of going 
off to New York 

"I don't believe we shall suffer any harm, with 
you on hand," said he. "I feel that you bring us 
luck." 

"If I ever bring it, now's the time I ask for it," 
she stated, giving him a bright look. "I want your 
company to succeed, and want to see your per- 
sonal success. Of course I'm employed by your 
company and that alone is sufficient for my wishing 
Stokes Brothers to come through with colors flying, 
but my feeling goes further than that. Until you 
came I had considerable responsibility keeping the 
plant running; and brief though it was, that re- 
sponsibility gave me an interest in the ships as if 
they were partly my own and that has since con- 
tinued to grow." 

"I understand what you mean," he said, softly. 

"Maybe it's the feeling every person has in work 
with which one has been closely concerned," she 
went on. "I suppose a violin-maker has it, an engi- 
neer who builds a bridge or an irrigation project 
or a railroad, and every one who really contributes 
his thought or skill of hands to create something. 
I see these ships growing in the yard under my very 
eyes, from piles of rough lumber into huge graceful 
vessels destined to sail over the seas. Sometimes 



THE OPENING VISTA 223 

I go out and touch them with my hands and caress 
them. And I really do feel as if I had put some- 
thing worth while into them, something of myself 
perhaps, and that it has penetrated the very planks 
and will remain there and be a part of the ships. 
If they were blown up, the injury would be a wound 
to me, it seems. And so that is why I am so anx- 
ious for your company's success and your success, 
because in this way the ships belong to me too; I 
tell myself I'm one of the builders. Some people 
might laugh and say I'm too imaginative." 

"Those who did would have souls of slugs," Bob 
Stokes declared quickly. 

"It's my reason too why I feel that nothing must 
happen or can happen to destroy the vessels," she 
said. 

"I repeat, you brought us luck when you set foot 
in our yard. You were sent as a special dispensa- 
tion of Providence to overcome the bad 'influence' 
in the outer office." And Bob's face as he gazed 
about at her might have been a confirmation of his 
words. 

Ellen laughed softly. 

"That makes me see myself in a new light," she 
said. 

"I shall continue to so regard you." 

However that might be, he was at the moment re- 
garding her very intently and very earnestly. He 
would have liked to take one of her small white 
hands in his and tell her many other things about 
herself how her dark glowing eyes were quite won- 



224 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

derful at that instant, and her cheek and chin pos- 
sessed of the softest and most exquisite curve im- 
aginable, and her hair so thick and rebellious well, 
any number of things which the liking for her had 
inspired but which mere friendship did not war- 
rant. Like her why, there wasn't another girl 
anywhere who could compare with her! And if 
he continued to see much more of her, it would all 
be up with him. That was sure; that was certain. 
And she would go away to New York, and he would 
have only a heartache; he was without doubt about 
the heartache, for he had a dull, empty, hungry 
longing somewhere in his breast now. 

The car had been moving westward as they talked 
and came now through thinning pines out on open 
ground. Before them shimmered the waters of a 
bayou that stretched away into the interior, its bor- 
ders grown with thick marsh grass, a faint smell of 
mud and salt water coming from its direction, while 
on its lazy surface floated an oyster boat. Gulls 
flew about, crying and quarreling and settling down 
upon the waves. 

The road here bent south and Stokes uttered an 
exclamation of satisfaction at this fact. It led 
towards the gulf, where they would be able to gain 
eventually the shell road along the beach and thus 
return to Martinsport without retracing the route 
the car had come. 

"I engage you now for another drive next Sun- 
day, if you have no other plans for then," Bob 
spoke. "We toilers ought as a matter of health 



THE OPENING VISTA 225 

come into the fresh air as much as possible. Think 
what we endure when the wind is blowing from the 
canneries." 

His air of badinage only half-masked his expect- 
ance. 

"Next Sunday is a whole week away ; much might 
happen in that time," said she. 

"Of course. But there's no reason why we 
shouldn't make plans just the same. And in the 
meanwhile we'll have another boat ride or two; 
just when, you will decide. I'm counting on them 
also." 

The insistence of his manner grew with each 
succeeding statement. Ellen perceived that he was 
again looking at her, so steadfastly and appealingly 
that once more she experienced a tremor of heart 
and a sensation of being drawn towards him by in- 
visible cords. An intuitive need to resist seemed for 
some reason imperative. 

"Let me answer to-morrow or next day," she said, 
turning away her eyes. 

"But we'll have the boat rides?" 

"Yes. Sometime soon." 

"Why not to-morrow night if the weather is 
clear? If we don't take advantage of good eve- 
nings, first thing we know a storm will roll up and 
it will be foggy and wet for a fortnight, as I'm told 
is frequently the case. Then I'd be just sitting 
around gnawing my finger-nails and gazing at you 
remorsefully." 

Ellen could not forego a smile at the picture he 



226 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

drew. But nevertheless her feelings were in a 
baffling state of confusion pleasure, uncertainty, 
and fear of where everything appeared to be lead- 
ing. Each minute with him was a delight, and if 
she but abandoned herself to her desire she would 
have given her consent to his invitation immediate- 
ly, yet a medley of dreads impinged upon her mind. 
Formless, for the most part. 

"You don't answer me," came his voice, with a 
low intonation. 

"I was thinking. I have things to do at home, 
and I had best stay there to-morrow evening and 
do them." 

The car lurched in a hollow of sand. Stokes 
gave the wheel a vicious twist, muttering something 
under his breath. The more persistently she evaded 
his wish, the more obstinately determined he be- 
came that the girl beside him should see that he was 
in earnest. 

"One can always do things at home any time. If 
I appear at your house after supper to take you 
boating, you wouldn't make a scene to prevent me, 
would you ?" 

Ellen's blood began to flow faster in her veins. 
He looked quite as if he were capable of picking 
her up in the face of all the boarders and carrying 
her away. Indeed, his blue eyes held a hot blaze 
in their depths that blinded her for the instant to 
all else. 

"I might enjoy being snatched up," she mur- 
mured. 



THE OPENING VISTA 227 

"Then expect me to-morrow evening," said he. 

"Really, Mr. Stokes, I have necessary things to 
do." 

He gave a shake of his head. 

"You speak seriously, so I'll urge you no fur- 
ther," he said. "But you will go in the motor boat 
with me adventuring again, let us say as soon 
as convenient?" 

Ah, adventuring! Where was her heart drifting 
in his company? Her lids drooped. The dusky 
half -veiled light Bob so often had beheld in her eyes 
now dwelt in them. 

"Yes, why not?" she said, softly. 

"Why not, of course," he echoed. "Now that is 
settled." 

"Perhaps Tuesday or Wednesday evening," she 
said. 

"And another auto ride next Sunday ; I can count 
on that too, can't I? Who else do we know in 
Martinsport besides ourselves, and so why shouldn't 
we enjoy ourselves together?" 

A vision of New York as she had pictured it in 
her fancy, with all she had anticipated and hoped 
for there, arose in Ellen Durand's mind. She would 
not in any case go there until autumn, and if Bob 
Stokes went away from Martinsport in July, or 
whenever he went if he did go, it would make no 
difference then how soon she departed. And in the 
meantime? Then all at once she was conscious 
that there would be no more of New York, or any- 
thing else in her life to bring her happiness but 



228 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

the youth beside her. The truth smote her sharply 
and it seemed as if a low joy was moving in her 
heart. The matter of what she did or where she 
went was no longer one of choice. It had somehow 
been irrevocably settled. She loved him : the earth 
might revolve backward without changing that mo- 
mentous fact. 

"Yes, I'll go with you next Sunday," she an- 
swered, as if she had never discussed the question. 
"At the same hour as to-day." 

"Good. I'll put a red mark on the date, for it 
will be a red-letter day." 

She regarded him to see if he had observed the 
tremendous thing which had occurred with her, that 
by all logic should show like a luminous light on 
her face for every one to read. But Bob glanced 
at her smilingly and then away at the road ahead, 
as if he saw no difference there from what had 
been before. Thank heaven, he had seen nothing. 
Then her mind was assailed by a sudden dread: 
he appeared fond of her but was she destined to 
love without return? What if her love ended in 
lone tragedy? 



XX 

EVIDENCE OF GUILT 

A HEAVY fog enveloped sea and land. The hulls 
of the vessels in the shipyard appeared huge and 
indistinct, while the sounds of labor about them 
were deadened by the mist. Water dripped from 
the wet wood of scaffolding and ships. A smell 
of muggy pine hung in the air. 

Bob Stokes gazing out a window of the office, 
speculated upon the whereabouts of the two men 
who had fled from the island. Had it not been for 
Ellen Durand's unfortunate misstep and her in- 
voluntary cry which revealed the presence of in- 
truders to the pair on the wreck, the conspirators 
would now be locked up. As it was, they were 
at large with their instruments of destruction. The 
police had failed to discover any further track of 
them or learn their identity. Unquestionably the 
men had gone into hiding, now they suspected their 
purpose known, until they were ready to act. 

Mulhouse, the superintendent, had reported that 
several workmen were under quiet surveillance by 
their associates, the principal number of the com- 
pany's men being enlisted actively in the hunt for 
traitors. The sifting out process had thinned the 

229 



230 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

likely suspects down to six or seven; fellows of 
rough character. Flanagan was thick with two of 
these, Mulhouse stated but all three of them had 
drawn their pay yesterday noon and quit. The 
others who were being watched had committed no 
specific acts of vandalism so far. For that matter, 
nothing out of the way had occurred in the yard or 
about the ships since the s*witch had been spiked. 

From Snohomish Jim Bob had received no news, 
but his action in stopping work and disappearing 
indicated that he was following some lead. Jim 
always moved to a purpose and used his own meth- 
ods. Already a score of workmen had reported 
him as talking sedition, indeed, as a lawless ruffian 
by his own account. 

Turning from the window Bob gazed at Ellen 
Durand, who was busy copying a report. Ever 
since their adventure together on the island, she 
had had for him a new charm, indefinable, pleas- 
ing, born of their intimacy of spirit in the moment 
of danger. The little upward turn at the corner of 
her mouth had a sort of enchantment of its own; 
her glowing eyes seemed but partly to reveal the 
possibilities, the ardor and the quality of mystery 
of her nature; even her dusky, rebellious hair pos- 
sessed a captivating endowment. When he was 
alone, her face came before him with haunting per- 
sistency. And he found himself when she was by 
unconsciously dwelling on her profile. 

As if presently aware of his gaze, she lifted her 
eyes, meeting his. She passed her hand over the 



EVIDENCE OF GUILT 231 

keys of her machine, then withdrew it. Her lashes 
fluttered slightly. A faint blush suffused her cheeks. 

"I'll have the statement finished in a moment," 
she said, glancing at the paper she copied. 

"No hurry. I wasn't thinking of it," Bob re- 
plied. 

Her look continued on the sheet. Directly she 
resumed her work, but paused as Bob said : 

"When this fog clears we'll try our luck again on 
the water perhaps we'll find our Germans a second 
time. Good fortune seems to follow you." 

"But it didn't lead to anything more than that 
old house and the wreck." 

"We learned the men concerned and the nature 
of their plot," said he. "I wired to the federal au- 
thorities at New Orleans what was up and there are 
government men working with the police on the 
case. They have a good description of the fellows. 
It should be only a matter of time before they're 
apprehended. Now, if you will bring luck once 
more " He ceased, smiling. 

Ellen Durand shook her head. 

"I wish I could," said she. 

"Well, we'll 4iave a boat ride when the fog lifts, 
in any case. I may count on that ?" 

"Yes, indeed." Then she added, thoughtfully, 
"I've been wondering, and fearing a little, about 
the guard in the yard. Something I can't explain 
makes me sure that the criminals intend to destroy 
the ships if they're able. It isn't only that ships are 
the favorite objects of attack by German agents 



232 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

there's what has happened before. Blowing the 
vessels to pieces now would be just a fitting climax." 

Bob nodded. 

"Germany desires above everything else to delay 
America's output of hulls," he remarked. 

Walking to a window he stared out at the nearest 
vessel of the two which Stokes Brothers were build- 
ing. It loomed mighty and staunch in the fog. It 
was approaching completion. In a few weeks it 
would slide down the way into the waters of the 
basin. One more boat to aid in defeating the enemy ! 
Its building not only involved the firm's interests, 
but in a broader degree constituted a unit in the 
nation's welfare. Boats the country needed, and 
boats the country should have from Stokes Broth- 
ers, at any rate. Enemy plots and bombs, notwith- 
standing ! 

"I think there's something I should tell you; 
there's too much at stake not to do so," Ellen Du- 
rand said, arousing him from his abstraction. 

He faced about and came towards her. Her look 
was fixed upon him steadily, though her face was 
troubled. 

"What is that?" he asked. 

Again as on the first day he had spoken with her, 
her glance sought the closed door to the outer of- 
fice. 

"I find it difficult to speak of the matter," said 
she, "for it concerns Mr. Andrews, who has been 
kind to me. It seems like the basest sort of ingrati- 
tude after he helped me secure this position when 



EVIDENCE OF GUILT 233 

I had newly come to Martinsport and when he's 
always been obliging and helpful. But at the same 
time I'd never forgive myself if anything terrible 
happened through my withholding information." 

At her words Bob Stokes glared at the door. 

"I suspected that fellow the first time I laid eyes 
on him," he declared, "and I've suspected him ever 
since. Now I know he's mixed up in this fight on 
us. Been the bribed 'lookout' here for the princi- 
pals. It was he, of course, who went through our 
files in this room." For a minute he appeared about 
to burst through the door and immediately pounce 
on Andrews, then he inquired, "What have you 
learned of him?" 

"Several things," Ellen Durand answered. "First, 
I just thought him dishonest when I happened to 
step to the door there one afternoon before you ar- 
rived and saw him going through Mr. Mocket's coat 
pockets on the sly. Mr. Mocket's back was toward 
him, and at the same time that Mr. Andrews was 
searching he watched the book-keeper over his 
shoulder. He was at the coat not more than an in- 
stant and he didn't perceive me." 

"Go on," Bob encouraged. 

"I don't think he found anything; at least his 
hands came out empty. After that I began to 
watch him quietly, as much as I could while attend- 
ing to work, for I felt that if he were really a thief 
he should not be employed here, especially when Mr. 
Frederic Stokes was sick and absent. But I didn't 
connect him with the accidents in the shipyard 



234 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

until one noon just the day before you arrived 
I knew Mr. Mocket had stepped out and so I stole 
to the door to see what Mr. Andrews might be 
doing. He was busy running a finger down a list 
of workmen, muttering to himself. Presently he 
said loud enough for me to hear : 'That big-nosed 
tough Frenchman would cut a throat for ten dol- 
lars, I bet . . . do a job here to delay things . . . 
look him up.' That was the manner in which he 
spoke; I didn't catch all." 

"You heard enough to show where he stands," 
Bob stated, in a significant tone. 

"Finally, I made him out talking at the telephone 
only yesterday," she continued. "You and Mr. 
Mocket were in the warehouse at the time." 

"Yes, we were in there, I remember." 

"Well, I listened by the door again. Mr. An- 
drews was talking with some one he called Jim 
he used the name twice. He said, 'Haven't learned 
the time yet? Well, there'll be big doings in the 
yard when the fireworks start.' He was talking in 
a low voice, but the office was quiet and I caught 
the words : 'We'll see whether or not Stokes Broth- 
ers have a crimp put in their ships. Meantime we 
got to get next to the "big man," if we can. And 
after the party comes off, a big feed, eh, Jim?' Then 
he chuckled and hung up the receiver. See, I took 
down his words in shorthand." 

"That convicts him, his statement about our ships. 
And the scoundrel is in the pay of those German 
agents!" Bob said, between his teeth. " 'Fireworks' 



EVIDENCE OF GUILT 235 

means but one thing bombs ! Fortunately no defi- 
nite time has yet been set for the attempt, judging 
from what he said. Provision can be made to pro- 
tect the yard." 

"But it seems incredible of Mr. Andrews. I knew 
his words concerned the vessels, but I can't believe it 
yet, Mr. Stokes, even though he is dishonest." 

"I'll have him arrested to-night. The police will 
sweat the truth out of him and perhaps too the 
whereabouts of his accomplices." 

"And still I feel unhappy over it," Ellen Durand 
said, "for it was he who helped me in the beginning 
when I was looking about for a place. Even if he's 
bad, it does appear as if I were returning evil for 
good in informing about him." 

"The feeling does you credit," said he, "but 
you've chosen the right course. You may be sure 
I'm more than grateful. Your discovery has put 
one of the criminals in our hands and should lead to 
the capture of the rest. And in all probability it 
has aided in saving our ships." He caught and 
pressed her fingers. "I don't know how to express 
my sense of obligation, for the company and for 
myself. I don't know what I should have done 
without you. I'll not try to express my feeling by 
mere thanks but I intend to prove it in a hundred 
ways." 

She trembled under the pressure of his hand, 
then softly drew her fingers free. 

"I'm happy if I helped you the smallest bit," she 
responded with an uncertain smile. 



236 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Yours is the biggest bit of anybody's." 

She risked a look up into his eyes. They were 
bent so earnestly upon her face that her blood quick- 
ened its beat in her bosom. The light of them set 
her heart in a tumult. 

"I must finish my work; it's growing late," she 
said hastily, and turned and went to her desk. 

Bob looked at his watch. The hands showed a 
few minutes past five. He had an appointment with 
two gentlemen, Willard and Broussard, who were 
coming to the office. They were to have arrived 
and were already late, but he did not know but 
what he would rather not have them come at all 
to-day. Mr. Willard had telephoned they wished to 
see him, which at the time aroused Bob's curiosity. 
Ever since he had discovered Broussard's connec- 
tion with Gaudreault he had been mystified about 
Broussard and the illusive lawsuit which had never 
come to a head. 

He again took a place at the window, gazing out 
at the long dark body of the visible ship, its farther 
end buried in the fog. Then he began watching 
the globules of water course down the window-pane. 
A steady hum came f rona the typewriter under Ellen 
Durand's fingers. 

"What the deuce you want to go to New York 
for is beyond me !" he exclaimed suddenly, with en- 
tire irrelevance. 

The typewriter stopped. Then the girl said : 

"Did you speak, Mr. Stokes?" 

He laughed. 



EVIDENCE OF GUILT 237 

"I was merely thinking with my voice," he stated. 

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm going to New York be- 
cause I fear Martinsport will be dull after the ex- 
citement has ended here." 

Bob gazed at her from under his brows. 

"I'll start some of my own, then. You'll be too 
busy to go." 

Ellen Durand was saved the need of an answer 
by the opening of the door. Mr. Mocket ushered 
the expected visitors into the room. 

"These gentlemen to see you," he stated, stepping 
aside to allow the men to enter. 

He waited for them to pass, standing erect and 
passive. As Broussard sauntered in, he gave the 
book-keeper a long and somewhat insolent look, 
which the other appeared not to perceive. At a nod 
from Stokes, Ellen Durand slipped out of her seat 
and withdrew from the room. Her also Brous- 
sard observed with a flicker of interest. Finally 
when Mocket had gone out, he turned his scrutiny 
upon Bob Stokes, running his eyes over the young 
fellow's figure and face with a slow, contemplative 
air. Broussard had the free assurance, Bob judged, 
of a man not easily abashed. 



XXI 

AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 

"WE shall not detain you long, Mr. Stokes," 
Broussard said after he had been introduced to Bob 
and when the three men were seated. "I've been in 
conference with Mr. Willard relative to certain mat- 
ters of interest to you, particularly in regard to the 
attack made on your brother and those on your 
property." 

Bob Stokes somewhat puzzled as to the visitor's 
concern in the matter looked towards Mr. Willard. 

That gentleman had lighted one of his thin, black, 
rakish-appearing cigars according to his custom 
when beginning a discussion. He nodded in con- 
firmation. 

"Mr. Broussard has acquired the note and col- 
lateral stock held by Johnson and Farrington," he 
said. "We were correct in surmising that there 
was a move on foot to throttle and obtain if possi- 
ble control of your business. In the beginning, a 
number of men, including Mr. Broussard, sought to 
buy stock of your brother with a view of later freez- 
ing your company out." 

"Don't include me in that part; I wasn't so sim- 
ple," Broussard interrupted. 

238 



AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 239 

"Well, the others had conceived such a scheme 
at any rate. But when it was learned no stock was 
for sale," Willard went on, "Johnson and Farring- 
ton apparently hoped to use this loan to accomplish 
the same end for themselves. Now, Mr. Brous- 
sard." 

With a sardonic smile Broussard removed his 
cigarette in order to speak. He flipped the ash off 
its end with a delicate finger. 

"The thing is really amusing, especially the man- 
ner in which I trimmed Johnson and old Farring- 
ton out of twenty-five thousand and the note's in- 
terest," he said, "while they imagined they were 
handing me a gold brick. You have had the joy of 
their acquaintance, I take it, Mr. Stokes. They had 
excluded me from any raid on your company," 
he proceeded unblushingly, "or I should never have 
meddled. Besides, that pair of foxes must have 
their ears nicked about every so often. They didn't 
know I was aware they had made the loan, but 
Main dropped word of it one day. So I prepared a 
lawsuit " 

"I know about it that fellow Gaudreault," said 
Bob. 

"Eh? Why, this is interesting. But no matter; 
it was a fake designed to scare the bankers. Your 
mortgage coming just when it did helped immensely. 
They shook the paper out of their clothes and I 
walked off with it. But they spoke of attacks on 
your property by some one unknown, so I began 
to investigate on my own account now that I held 



240 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

some of your paper. And I looked first among 
thieves of my acquaintance." 

Again the smile shaped his lips, while his eyes 
rested amusedly on Stokes. The latter, on his part, 
knew not what to make of the singular recital, or 
of the gentleman himself who talked rather indo- 
lently of his business as if engaged in nothing but 
lawless enterprises. Broussard, he was aware, was 
one of the town's leading capitalists, but he might 
by his talk have been anything else. 

"Yes," Bob said, tentatively. 

"Johnson and Farrington being eliminated, I 
turned to the next likely quarter, two men of the 
name of Main and Derland, both highly respected 
citizens and capable freebooters. Derland, I quickly 
learned, was not in the least concerned in the deal. 
But Main was in the running. His information to 
me in the beginning that the bankers had made the 
loan, which I suspect he had from this office " 

"This office !" Bob ejaculated. 

"No doubt of it but let that go for the present. 
Which he had from this office, and his accompany- 
ing threat that he would get their goat, as he had 
told them if he were left out, gave me a lead. When 
did your troubles begin, Mr. Stokes?" 

"Shortly after the loan was made." 

"Well, I imagined so. Or soon after Main knew 
of the loan, we'll say. The other evening I had 
him to dinner to talk over some matters of busi- 
ness and saw that he partook of a very old, heady 
wine. He did not know I held your paper. And 



AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 241 

when I introduced the subject of Johnson and Far- 
rington holding out on the rest of us, he talked 
rather more than he would have done had he been 
entirely sober. At that he had loaded several high- 
balls into his system at the club before coming. I 
obtained no specific details, but he made enough 
boasts about killing the loan and getting it himself 
at a bargain to satisfy me he had inside knowledge 
of conditions and their cause in your business." 

"Did he plan my brother's injury?" Bob asked 
fiercely, leaning forward. 

"Oh, I imagine not. He wouldn't bother with de- 
tails, he wouldn't want to know them, in fact; that 
would be left to his lieutenant. He would say, for 
instance, I want work on those ships delayed. That 
would be enough; his hands would be clean; he 
could rightly deny any knowledge of what had oc- 
curred. Isn't that the customary procedure, Mr. 
Willard?" 

Willard smiled. One might have supposed Brous- 
sard was discussing a matter of mere business prac- 
tice. 

"He's guilty nevertheless," Bob asserted, darkly. 

"Proving it in court is generally difficult, how- 
ever, particularly when his handy man vanishes, as 
would probably happen, on a journey to the tropics." 

Bob looked first at one and then the other of his 
visitors. 

"Surely there's some way of landing a scoundrel 
like that," he stated. "We ought to catch him on the 
bomb part of it, anyway. Any man who would at 



242 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

this time when our country's at war deliberately 
encourage the blowing up of ships ought to be 
hanged." 

Willard suddenly hitched himself up in his chair 
to gaze at Stokes. Broussard halted the hand that 
was lifting his cigarette to his lips. 

"What's that about bombs?" he demanded, all 
alertness. 

"Bombs are what I'm talking about. I ran on two 
men the other night who were manufacturing them 
to blow up our works. A clerk in our office " 

"Yes, the fellow used to be Main's private clerk," 
Broussard broke in, with a nod. 

"This clerk was overheard telephoning only yes- 
terday to a confederate about the execution of the 
plot. When I discovered the men with the explo- 
sives I notified the police, but the scoundrels had 
taken alarm and escaped. Federal officers also are 
now on the case." 

"Well, well, well. That surprises me ; I've under- 
rated Main, I see," Broussard exclaimed. 

"I'll make it my especial business to see he goes 
to prison if this prove true," Willard announced, 
with a sharp glint in his blue eyes. "But I'll send 
him there anyway for injuring Stokes." 

For a moment Broussard reflected, a line of smoke 
rising from the cigarette between his fingers. His 
smile was gone. 

"Mr. Stokes, let me first state, speaking seriously, 
that while I offered to buy stock in your company 
of your brother," he said, "it was purely because 



AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 243 

I considered the investment a good one and when 
he declined to sell I considered that the end of the 
matter. At least, at the time. I looked upon your 
coming here as a valuable asset to Martinsport; I 
had no feeling other than of good wishes for your 
success in your enterprise. A man who snarls at 
another's good luck, or rather wise foresight, is 
both a fool and a glutton. And when finally I en- 
tered the game it was merely to take a fall out of 
Johnson and Farrington. I didn't care particularly 
to buy your paper, but on the other hand I knew it 
was perfectly good. You can take it up any time 
you desire, or I'll extend it at your pleasure. In 
any case, the note is better in my hands than in 
those of the men who made the loan and who had 
some scheme, I feel confident, to squeeze you. I 
didn't want to see those money-sharks crimp a legit- 
imate and valuable business for no other reason 
than their own selfish gain." 

"Thank you, Mr. Broussard. I appreciate your 
consideration," Bob stated. "We were not aware 
that we had in you an unknown and disinterested 
friend." 

"My interest was there but it was focused on 
Farrington primarily," came the response, with a 
quick sharp show of teeth in a smile. "With John- 
son and Farrington disposed of and learning that 
Main was in for mischief, I considered some means 
of putting him out of the ring also. But I had not 
yet decided upon a plan I thought it best first to 
talk with Mr. Willard, who holds your mortgage, 



244 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

and with you. That is my explanation for being 
here. Now, your revelation regarding a deliberate 
attempt at destruction of the property throws a new 
and serious light on the matter. Well as I knew 
'Gas' Main, I didn't imagine he would go to the 
length he apparently proposes to do. He's a good 
deal of a brute, however. If anything stands in his 
way, smash it that's his method. If it's a man, 
smash him. And he cares little if bystanders are 
hurt in the process. He was trying to revenge him- 
self on Johnson and Farrington for what he thought 
their trickery towards him when he instigated se- 
cret obstructive tactics against your concern. If by 
delays and accidents he could depreciate their loan, 
why, the fact you might be bankrupted in the proc- 
ess wouldn't disturb him. He had it calculated 
that with a failure to complete your ships on time, 
you would collapse and the pair of bankers conse- 
quently suffer, while incidentally he might step in 
and pick up your property at a forced sale. Very 
likely that was his idea. Very likely he determined 
to make the matter certain." Broussard shook his 
head in perplexity. "But it doesn't seem after all 
he could be so mad as to blow up your yard. The 
man is shrewd for all his brutal nature. I confess 
that I'm mystified." 

"Listen, I even saw the bombs. And the clerk 
here discussed the planned outrage with some one 
over the telephone, as I stated," Bob said. 

"It's time 'Gas' Main went where his activities 



AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 245 

will be restricted," Mr. Willard asserted. "Count 
on me to fight this thing to a finish now." 

"He'll feel satisfied with the new clothes he'll 
have, at any rate," Broussard remarked, smiling. 
"He's always had a predilection for loud stripes." 

Bob considered for a little. 

"We were ready for any financial operations of 
our enemies," he remarked. "My brother in Seattle, 
John, had arrangements made to turn the property 
over to the government, by lease or otherwise, the 
instant Johnson and Farrington or any one else 
sought to get control, which would leave them in 
the air so far as making a killing was concerned. 
We would have sat back and watched the govern- 
ment make them behave and they would have been 
glad to let go. The iron would be too hot. As it 
is, we plan when these ships are sold to build for 
the Ship Board at only a nominal profit. This is 
no time, we feel, even if our yard should not be 
commandeered, to let big war-time profits influence 
us against the country's interests. We desire to sell 
these two vessels privately only in order to put the 
business in good shape against emergencies, then 
we'll be ready to construct boats for government 
use at cost if necessary." 

"Now I really am sorry I don't own stock," 
Broussard said, spreading his hands in a gesture 
of pleasure. "For I too, though the devil himself 
deny it, have an interest in America's success in this 
war. All I've been able to do up to date is subscribe 
for Liberty Bonds and the Red Cross Fund and so 



246 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

on. That's rather passive. Presently Willard and 
I may furnish an ambulance outfit, though Willard 
doesn't know it the idea has just occurred to me. 
A string of forty ambulances, say, with a whole 
company of pretty nurses! But let that wait. 
We're now dealing with the subject of Main. It 
looks very much as if we'd have to put him behind 
bars I'd rather miss his bull manner at directors' 
meetings, too. Still, Farrington might grow more 
amusing as time passed. Gentlemen, I am for pun- 
ishing," he continued, with a sudden rap of his 
knuckles on the table, "punishing any man, big or 
little, wealthy or poor, American or alien, who at 
this time commits an act that is an injury, directly 
or indirectly, to our country. He is disloyal and an 
enemy. And 'Gas' Main apparently is such a man." 

"But can we have him arrested now ?" Bob ques- 
tioned. 

"No, not till the evidence is complete," Broussard 
answered. 

"What of this clerk?" Willard asked. 

"We could have him in here," Bob said. 

But Broussard raised a dissenting hand. 

"It might be well before interrogating the man 
Mocket is his name, if I remember rightly " 

Stokes gave a start. 

"Why, Mocket has nothing to do with the mat- 
ter," he exclaimed. "The fellow I've referred to is 
named Andrews." 

Striking a match and lighting a fresh cigarette 
Broussard inhaled a slow puff before replying. He 



AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 247 

swung about in his chair and gazed fixedly at the 
door. 

"The man who was Main's private clerk and who 
is now out there is the tall, spare fellow wearing 
glasses. No mistake. I had a good look at him 
as I entered," he said. "I've seen him dozens of 
times in Main's offices formerly. He handled that 
piece of strike business for Main last summer, 
though he didn't appear in it prominently. I know 
nothing about this Andrews you speak of. But 
you'll find that the information of your loan, and 
probably of other matters, went straight from here 
into Main's office from this Mocket" 

"He's been with us ever since the yard was start- 
ed," Bob said, in perplexity. 

"Well, I can't account for that, but Mocket was 
'Gas' Main's private clerk for some time. The 
thing is quite clear now. He's Main's man and has 
handled this office end of the little private war. 
There's your trouble-maker, Mr. Stokes, I'll venture 
my head." 

Willard, who had remained silent, occasionally 
puffing at his cigar and stroking his white silky 
beard, now spoke. 

"We must proceed with care, until we gather 
proof of Main's complicity," said he. "That re- 
quires time. Meanwhile means must be taken to 
protect the property and prevent or delay the ef- 
fort at its attempted destruction. What would hold 
his hand, Broussard ? A belief he had bested John- 
son and Farrington?" 



248 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Unquestionably." 

"Then this note and its security must go into his 
possession. You might intimate " 

Broussard sprang up. 

"Leave it to me. If you'll allow me to use that 
'phone, Stokes, I'll see if I can get in touch with him. 
I'll try his private number he may yet be at his 
office." 

He seated himself in the chair which Bob re- 
linquished at the desk and put in the call. 

"Hello, this you, Main? Thought I might catch 
you there. You remember what you were speaking 
of the other evening at my house. . . . Yes, that 
loan. Well, I picked it up. . . . Certainly you can 
have it. They appeared to have had enough, but 
wanted to sell to me instead of you. . . . Sore as 
anything that they had to let go. . . . Ha, you're 
right. To anybody but you! They'd probably go 
up in the air if they thought I'd passed it along. 
I'll be up to see you immediately. . . . One seventy- 
five. You can have it for what I paid. Farrington 
would rather have parted with his ears than lose 
that twenty-five. . . . All right, you wait. It's 
barely six o'clock. I'll start at once." 

Broussard hung up the receiver. Then he drew 
an envelope from his pocket, removed several papers 
which he ran over rapidly. 

"You've the note and stock with you, I see," 
Bob said. 

"Yes, I brought them along in case you should 



AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 249 

want them to use or desired to make a new note for 
a longer period." 

"And at one time I suspected you of being the 
main plotter !" Bob exclaimed, putting out his hand 
to the other. 

Broussard shook the hand offered. He then re- 
sumed his indolent air. He twisted the end of his 
Vandyke, while his brilliant black eyes roved round 
the room. 

"I've a sinister reputation with Johnson and Far- 
rington, at least," said he. "For one thing, I don't 
press loans that's a black sin. For another, I'm a 
bachelor ; they imagine me decidedly wicked. Well, 
Mr. Willard, if you'll drop me out at the door of 
Main's building, I'll be taking my departure. Pos- 
sibly I'll be able to gain an inkling from Main what 
effect his securing the paper will have on his plans." 

Stokes again expressed his thanks for the ser- 
vice both of the gentlemen had rendered in inter- 
esting themselves in the company's behalf and they 
went out. A moment later Willard's car sounded 
from in front of the building. Bob stepped into the 
outer office, where Ellen Durand stood looking out 
the door at the machine which was starting away. 

"I'm sorry to have kept you out of the room so 
long," he said, "but we were engaged in an impor- 
tant talk. You've been delayed in going home ; it's 
after six. But I'll run you up there in my car. The 
men have gone, I see." 

"They both left about half-past five, first Mr. 



250 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Mocket and then a moment later Mr. Andrews," she 
answered. 

"That's rather unusual; I might have wanted 
them." 

"They've both absented themselves from the office 
a good deal lately during business hours. Often at 
the same time," she said. 

"Well, I'll soon know why," he remarked sig- 
nificantly. 

"I asked Mr. Mocket if he'd be back and he 
answered 'No' very shortly," she continued. 

"Did Andrews have anything to say?" 

"Nothing. When Mr. Mocket left, the other fid- 
geted a little, went to the door and looked out, then 
suddenly got his coat and hat and started away too. 
He looked at me as if he dared me to say a word. 
But I remained quiet; he knows quite as well as I 
do that he is supposed to stay until six." 

After a glance Bob moved forward and passed 
behind the counter. 

"The books haven't even been put away," he 
exclaimed. 

On the men's desks the company ledgers and pa- 
pers remained as they had been left. Bob pushed 
the latter into drawers, carried the books to the safe 
and placed them within. He opened a small com- 
partment and glanced in its box in precaution be- 
fore swinging shut the heavy iron door. 

"There's usually some cash here, isn't there?" 
he inquired. 

"Why, I think so. We need a little from time to 



AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 251 

time and generally keep an amount on hand any- 
where from fifty to one hundred dollars." 

Bob closed the door of the safe and spun the knob. 
Then he once more came out from behind the 
counter. 

"Well, there's none there now," said he. 

"That's funny; there's always a little. Wasn't 
there a single penny?" 

"Not one. However, there's going to be a house- 
cleaning soon. We'll know a bit more then than 
we do now. Find your hat while I'm bringing the 
car around. We'll lock up and start. One thing 
certain, I haven't lost you yet" 



XXII 

THE MASK OFF 

ANDREWS, trailing the book-keeper along the 
foggy street, had cast all thought of office responsi- 
bility to the four quarters of the earth and was bent 
only on keeping the man's figure in sight. A repri- 
mand for quitting his work gave him no concern; 
he felt in Mocket's sudden departure an important 
move in the game that was being played. He had 
heard nothing from Jim Flanagan, but circumstances 
might have arisen to prevent the latter from con- 
veying any information to him, if indeed he had it. 
The book-keeper, however, had emptied the cash 
drawer of the safe Andrews, while talking with 
Ellen Durand, had observed him at the business. 
The man's action had been furtive. Then Mocket 
had taken his hat and gone. That looked as if the 
fellow was cleaning up things before flight. 

On the main street of the business section Mocket 
swung upon a street car. In chagrin the young fel- 
low watched him vanishing, but next minute running 
to a taxicab awaiting by the curb, he sprang up 
beside the chauffeur and ordered him to follow the 
car. The chase led to Mocket's boarding-house. An- 
drews, sitting in the automobile at the corner beyond, 

252 



THE MASK OFF 253 

kept the house under observation. Time passed; 
he saw by his watch that it was after six ; he felt the 
coins in his pocket and anxiously calculated the rate 
of the taxi charge. At a quarter past six Mocket 
again appeared, now carrying a suitcase. This time 
he took a street car returning to the city, alighted 
near a tall business block and entered a corner cigar 
shop. Andrews paid his chauffeur and dismissed the 
cab. 

From the vantage of the now crowded street, busy 
with the homeward bound throng, the young fellow 
perceived through the open doorway that Mocket 
was making a purchase of a box of cigars. This 
together with his suitcase he left in the place. Com- 
ing forth, the book-keeper went along the street until 
he arrived at the doorway of a lofty office building 
the building where Main and his gas company 
had offices. Andrews knew the structure very well. 

He loitered a sufficient length of time to allow the 
other to ascend to the suite, then followed. The 
building was already emptied of its day-time multi- 
tude; a single elevator was running; the hallways 
were silent; doors wore an air of business having 
been finished. Stepping forth on the floor above 
that where Main officed, the fourth, he descended the 
stair and went noiselessly along the doorways that 
marked the suite. From one room came a barely 
audible sound of voices; at the door of another, 
standing ajar, he caught a glimpse of the interior 
and of Mocket, who stood with his back towards 
him listening by a doortvay connecting with the 



254 JHE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

room where ran the voices. It was apparent the 
book-keeper had let himself in with a key he car- 
ried without disturbing the occupants. Except for 
the talkers, Mocket and himself, no one was about. 
The floor was deserted. 

All at once Andrews glided to a doorway beyond 
and there flattened himself against the panel. A 
man had come forth from the room where the con- 
versation had been conducted Broussard. He 
walked towards the elevator and presently was car- 
ried down. Silence again prevailed after the echoes 
of his footsteps ceased; only diminished noises as- 
cended from the street. 

Once more the youth crept to his post. Mocket 
was no longer visible, but the connecting door of 
the rooms was partly open and a new exchange 
of talk was proceeding. Andrews could even dis- 
tinguish the respective tones of the men, though un- 
able to hear clearly their words. One was the voice 
of Mocket, the other he presumed to be Main's. For 
some minutes he listened, but with a growing annoy- 
ance at not being able to overhear the subject of 
their speech. Finally with a quick glance in all 
directions he insinuated his body through the nar- 
row opening. 



The door had scarcely closed behind Broussard 
when Mocket entered where Main still sat, the note 
and collateral which he had received in exchange 
for a check still in his fingers. The gas magnate 



THE MASK OFF 255 

eyed this new and unannounced visitor with a heavy 
questioning stare. 

"Where in the devil did you come from!" he de- 
manded. . 

"I just arrived, Mr. Main," was the answer. 
"Observing that you were occupied and finding the 
door of the room yonder unlocked, I stepped in to 
wait until you had finished. I came on the chance 
that you might yet be here, wishing to report." 

"Well?" 

"Matters are advancing in accordance with your 
desire. There will be new developments presently 
that will put a stop to Stokes Brothers' business for 
some time." 

The man still stood. He spoke in an even tone 
and when he ceased addressing Main remained with 
his thin lips compressed in a hard inflexible line. 
The other drummed upon the table with the fingers 
of one hand, contemplating him. His big bulk filled 
the chair in which he sat; the flesh of his cheeks and 
neck bore down his collar; his thick nose and trap- 
like mouth more than ever gave him an aspect of 
ruthlessness. 

"You can stop further operations for the time," 
said he, shortly. 

"Haven't results been satisfactory?" Mocket in- 
quired. "From the first delay to the accident that 
removed Stokes " 

"Stop ! I've told you I do not want to know what 
was done, only that things were done," Main ex- 
claimed. "And now you will let matters rest where 



256 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

they are. I've accomplished what I sought se- 
cured this note that Johnson and Farrington held. 
That's all I wanted." 

"Very well, sir. I'll pay the men something so 
they'll be satisfied and call them off. You had better 
give me the money now.'* 

"How much will you need?" Main asked. 

"A couple of hundred dollars," Mocket stated. 

Main looked at him stonily for a moment, but his 
lieutenant's face continued calm. 

"You don't believe in economy, do you?" he said 
with a sneer. 

"Men employed as these have been make high 
terms," the book-keeper answered. "I've had a 
little less than a thousand dollars, in addition to 
what you've paid me myself. You've obtained 
Stokes Brothers' note, no doubt considerably below 
the face. The investment has been a good one, 
hasn't it, Mr. Main?" 

"I'll lose nothing, I think." 

"So I believe/' Mocket went on. "We had no 
specific agreement at the time of our arrangement as 
to what I should receive, but you intimated that if 
the work was carried through successfully I could 
count on your generosity." 

"You've had five hundred for yourself." 

"I think I'm entitled to at least that much more," 
Mocket remarked, quietly. 

"Well, you'll not get it." 

And "Gas" Main settled himself in his seat and 
began cutting the end of a cigar with his cigar- 



THE MASK OFF 257 

clipper. He did not even glance up at Mocket dur- 
ing the operation. A cold smile rested on the lips 
of the man whom he chose to ignore, while his eyes 
narrowed behind their glasses. 

"At least you will pay what's owing the men/* 
said the latter, presently. 

"I think you've pocketed half of what you pre- 
tend has gone into expenses, but I'll pay you this two> 
hundred," Main said. 

He lighted his cigar and laid the note and the 
stock certificate on his desk, placing a paper weight 
upon them. Then he arose. Taking a step to his 
private safe nearby the desk, he swung the door 
open; behind him Mocket lightly bent forward, ex- 
tracted the note and stock from under the weight 
and advanced soundlessly to where Main stood. 
The latter was drawing forth a drawer. He 
straightened and placed it upon the top of the safe. 

"Don't trouble to count it," Mocket said, at his 
ear. 

Main whirled about. His secret employee pointed 
a revolver at his fancy waistcoat. With his left 
hand the book-keeper removed several packets of 
bills that half -rilled the drawer. 

"You thief, there's over two thousand there! 
I'll have you in the pen for this!" Main said. 

"I think not I know too much. Now sit down 
in your chair while I talk a little," Mocket ordered. 
"If you try to attack me, I'll shoot." 

Stepping back, he motioned his late employer but 



258 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

now immediate victim into his seat. Main, breath- 
ing heavily, sat down. 

"You'll go to the pen, no matter how much you 
know or talk," he hissed, glaring from under his 
brows. 

"I'm leaving town this evening, so I imagine 
you'll find some difficulty in carrying out your 
threat. For your information I'll state that this 
isn't all of your contribution," Mocket continued, 
in a voice of irony. "I've cashed a few checks bear- 
ing your name, in the course of the day. And you 
may be interested in knowing that the money will 
be used in a worthy cause." 

"Well?" 

"As will be the money secured when I've hypothe- 
cated the note and stock in my pocket." 

Main glanced swiftly at his desk, perceived the 
papers missing and half-rose to lunge at the man 
who had stolen them. But at the forward thrust of 
the pistol and the menace in Mocket's face, he sank 
back in his chair, his fingers working helplessly on 
its arms. 

"Play out your string it won't be for long," he 
said. And with a sudden calmness he picked up 
his cigar from the table and began to smoke, keep- 
ing his eyes steadfastly upon his assailant. 

"That will be seen. But you'll go far to get me !" 
was the response, given with a new and unexpected 
violence. "I'm departing from this cursed country 
and collecting what's coming to me and paying my 
scores before I go. You thought I'd do your dirty 



THE MASK OFF 259 

work, then slink out of sight at a word. Last sum- 
mer after I had managed your band of strike- 
breaking thugs you discharged me on an unproved 
complaint of embezzlement of a miserable three hun- 
dred dollars. But you came to me for your dirty 
job at Stokes' yard just the same. Well, I did em- 
bezzle the three hundred. Last fall I accepted your 
commission to hurt the shipping company too, be- 
cause I was after you and them and anybody else 
I could harm. For it would help Germany just that 
much!" 

"Germany!" escaped Main's lips, who was aston- 
ished in spite of himself. 

"Yes, Germany the Fatherland !" the man cried, 
with a fire of fanaticism in his eyes. "The country 
I belong to, the nation destined to rule the world and 
crush all peoples beneath her iron heel till they rec- 
ognize her power and right! America, faugh! It 
will be humbled with the rest. You thought me an 
American, and well I concealed my nationality." 
He drew his thin spare figure into an attitude of 
stiffness. "I'm a German kept here by the war and 
unable to give my services to my Emperor I'm 
none of your American rabble. And when you 
thought you were simply hiring me to do your scurvy 
tricks, I was taking your money and laughing at 
you in my sleeve for the fat swine you are." 

"Well?" Main asked again, with implacable 
patience. 

"You imagine you'll run me down. Very well, 
try it my provisions are made. I shall tie you up 



2<5o THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

here and gag you however, until I've had plenty of 
time to go. There'll be time too before you're re- 
leased to plan my capture." 

From his pocket the erstwhile book-keeper 
brought forth a gag and ball of heavy cord, which 
he placed on the table. 

"You'll be taken and hung before you ever reach 
Germany," Main stated. "I'll bide my time, Mocket." 

"Mocket Mocket, a name I relinquish here and 
now! It has served its use. You'll go searching 
for a Mocket and never find him. And so will the 
Stokes, and the police, and all the crew of govern- 
ment agents who are so stupid their eyes are never 
open, when I'm done. You said for me to stop 
operations. Ah, I've just begun with the shipyard ! 
Those ships will never carry grain to Germany's in- 
famous enemies! The bombs that shall blow them 
to bits " 

"You've used my scheme as a cover for destroy- 
ing Stokes' vessels, is that it?" Main asked in a soft 
voice. 

But his body had grown taut, his feet were a 
little shifted to a new position. 

"Just that. Not a stick will be left of them when 
I'm done to-night. To that extent I'll work for the 
Fatherland!" 

"And you're a German?" 

A sharp smile was on Main's lips. He leaned 
forward in his seat and looked up at the other with 
a queer strained look on his face. 

"A German." 



THE MASK OFF 261 

"By God, you'll never live to harm America!" 
burst furiously from "Gas" Main's lips, while at 
the same time he hurled himself at the alien. 

His hands clutched the other's arms. His dis- 
torted features pressed towards the book-keeper's. 
The suddenness of his attack bent the man back on 
the table, who with a desperate exertion shoved 
his weapon against Main's body and pulled the 
trigger. 

For an instant they remained as they were, at 
grips. Then the huge capitalist's fingers relaxed, 
his eyes blinked rapidly, and he sank down on his 
knees. 

"You scoundrel!" he muttered. 

Then he fell forward on his face under the table. 

At that minute the man who had fired the shot 
was aware of a figure springing at him through the 
inner door. He whirled about as Andrews dashed 
forward with face ablaze. The pistol flashed a sec- 
ond time. Andrews halted with a queer look. All 
at once he tumbled over. 

Through the room the sound of the shots still 
echoed. But when silence followed, a hush now all 
the more profound, the man who had called himself 
Mocket put away his revolver, glanced at his vic- 
tims and stood hearkening for an alarm. None 
came. The rigidity of his listening attitude slowly 
passed. He went to the door and saw that it was 
properly locked. He moved with quick, alert steps 
and with a frowning intentness on his thin austere 
face. In the second room, where half an hour 



262 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

earlier he had made his treacherous entry, he heark- 
ened again. The building gave no sound of voices 
or of hurrying footsteps. All was hushed, and only 
the acrid smell of powder smoke drifted through 
the offices. It caused him to look back where the 
two forms lay. He consulted his watch a quarter 
past seven. Presently he went out into the hallway, 
listening to make sure that the lock clicked behind 
him. 



XXIII 

SNOHOMISH JIM CLEARS FOR ACTION 

IN a cheap workingmen's hotel Jim Flanagan and 
his companions, Pete and Jack, sat together in a re- 
tired corner holding aloof from other laborers, who, 
done their day's work, read tattered magazines or 
engaged in idle talk. The clock had for Pete and 
Jack an uncommon attraction ; they continually stole 
looks at it suspended on the wall over the proprie- 
tor's small desk the hands were creeping near the 
hour of eight. The two men talked little and sat 
smoking with a light of suppressed excitement in 
their eyes, hardly heeding Jim's loquacious remarks 
on the weather. 

"They wouldn't call this no fog in Seattle, where 
I was once. There's what you might call a regular 
bull fog out there, boys," he was saying. "Here it 
is going on eight and the nigger just turning on the 
lights, but when one of them fogs settles down on 
Seattle the lights are burning all the time and even 
then a feller has to get close up to 'em to see whether 
he still is wearing any clothes below his belt." 

"Um-m-m," Jack emitted, with an absent air. 

"Fact," Snohomish Jim declared, positively. "I 
was sitting in a hotel once, like this, and when I 

263 



264 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

got up to walk I felt something holding to my pants 
leg and moving along with me. Well, boys, I lighted 
a match and went down exploring and what does I 
behold but a pair of twins, little babies just able to 
walk, the innocentest little devils you ever see!" 

"Huh." 

"They had let go their pa sitting next to me, 
though I didn't know he was by my side, and took a 
grip on me through an error of judgment like. And 
it was maybe an hour before I locates their parent in 
the fog and delivers his progeny, them getting 
hungry and yelping for maternal milk. Hello, here 
we are !" 

For all his apparent inattention, Snohomish Jim 
was the first to see the messenger boy entering the 
office door. A brief telephone message to Pete 
earlier in the day had advised the trio to be ready 
that night and to expect money and instructions at 
eight, as arranged. Jim sprang up and met the boy 
near the door. 

"Here you are," said he, taking the package from 
the messenger's fingers. "Where's the receipt?" 

He scribbled Pete Brown's name on the sheet pre- 
sented before Pete could forestall him, and turned 
towards the hallway where the stair led up to their 
bedrooms, motioning his companions to follow. 

"What you got to do with taking that?" Pete 
demanded viciously, when Jim had locked the door 
of his room which they had entered. 

The speaker glared at the package in the other's 
hand as if about to grab it away. 



SNOHOMISH CLEARS FOR ACTION 265 

"Let's see what we're to do now," Jim said, ignor- 
ing the question. 

Ripping the long envelope open with a finger, he 
removed an inner package, from which he slipped 
off the wrapping. A letter and a mass of currency 
came to view. 

"There's the cash all right!" Jack exclaimed, 
avidly. 

Jim opened the letter. 

"Says to be at the northeast corner of the yard 
fence in half an hour, boys," said he, after rapidly 
glancing over the message on the sheet. "And each 
to come alone not to attract notice. That's all. 
We've time for a drink first." 

Still clutching the letter and money in one hand, 
he produced a quart bottle of whiskey from the bot- 
tom of the washstand and handed it to Jack. The 
latter gulped down an ample quantity and passed it 
to Pete, who did likewise. Jim in his turn gave it a 
tilt. 

"Well, we'll start," said he, placing the bottle on 
a chair. "I'll be banker till we're through with the 
job, when we can divide." And he stuffed the bills 
and letter into a hip pocket. 

Pete and Jack leaped in front of him with snarls. 

"You don't work that racket; we split now!" 
Jack cried, with an oath. "We'd never see you 
again!" 

"Why, pals, what's the matter?" Jim inquired, 
mildly. 

He regarded them with cool insolence, rubbing 



266 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

the end of his big crooked nose with his forefinger. 
Pete and Jim exchanged a swift, furtive look. 

"Put that money on the table so we can split it," 
said Pete. 

"You're two to one I'd be done out of my 
share," Jim answered. "When we're finished at 
the yard, we'll sit down in a corner and divide it 
all comfortable and easy. I'm taking no chances." 

Again the quick look passed between Pete and 
Jack. Then the latter began to sidle around one 
side of Flanagan. Venom was in the sooty faces 
of both men and a steely gleam in their narrowed 
eyes. 

"Come across with it!" Pete spat out. 

"Pals, I has a duty to myself," Jim remarked with 
a solemn gesture of his big hand. 

"Come across, I said!" 

Snohomish Jim with a sudden thrust protruded 
his jaw. His mouth was more askew than ever and 
shut tight. His whole hard ugly countenance showed 
sneering defiance. 

"Come and get it," he said, barely moving his lips. 

For the length of a breath the men remained 
rigid, while the silence of the dingy bedroom was 
unbroken. Then at the same instant Pete and Jack 
rushed him. 

Bedlam broke loose. The two men were power- 
ful, hard-muscled, tough, while inspired by baffled 
greed and a desire for revenge. Snohomish Jim 
towered three inches over both, with thews and 
bone wrought by years of swinging an ax and of 



SNOHOMISH CLEARS FOR ACTION 267 

driving logs into a frame of iron. All the tricks of 
rough-and-tumble fighting, born of the lumber- and 
logging-camps, were his. And the time had come at 
last to settle the score of Frederic Stokes' cowardly 
disablement. The three entwined bodies rocked for 
a moment, then went crashing to the floor, rolling 
over and over in fury. 

The chair and the bottle of whiskey went spinning 
across the room. At a quick jab of Jim's knee up- 
ward, Jack emitted a grunt of pain, but yet clung 
to the woodsman. Jim sank his teeth in Pete's 
shoulder in a savage bite, which brought forth a 
blood-curdling yell and a panted string of wild 
curses. Up by a tremendous heave the three came 
to their feet; a struggling, writhing mass they 
swayed and thrashed about the room. The bed col- 
lapsed as they toppled over on it, but they continued 
to strike and fight in its wreck, rolling forth in a 
welter of bed-clothes to jolt against the washstand, 
which went over with a smash of its pitcher and 
bowl. 

Blood smeared Jack's face. A mad grin dis- 
played Jim's teeth at the sight. Once more there 
was an upheaval and the three men were on their 
feet, fighting in silence. By a quick, powerful exer- 
tion Snohomish Jim ripped himself out of Pete's 
grip, and kicked himself free from Jack. But in- 
stantly they were at him again like a pair of wolves. 

Jim side-stepped, caught Jack by the wrist and 
gave him a sharp jerk, at the same time kicking his 
ankle. The fellow dropped. Whirling, the tall 



268 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

woodsman with a lunge and a swing of his right 
fist caught Pete on the point of the jaw, lifting him 
from his feet and sending him crashing back against 
the wall, where he fell and remained lying still. 
Scarcely had he time to meet the renewed attack of 
the other, who had arisen and flung himself at Flan- 
agan. But with only one man to deal with Jim felt 
that the tide of battle was already receding. When 
Jack's arms locked round his, Flanagan slid his 
hands up the fellow's back, brought them forward 
past his ears and buried a long finger in each of his 
assailant's eyes, forcing back his head. With an 
agonied groan Jack flailed at Snohomish Jim with 
his fists, but the pressure on his eyes was relentless. 
Suddenly Flanagan tore the man loose, seized him, 
swung him off the floor above his head and hurled 
him down upon the floor. 

"I think you'll sleep awhile," Jim said, breathing 
heavily. 

Jack slept. Likewise, Pete. Cocking his ear to 
listen to the uproar in the hallway, where most of 
the denizens of the hotel had been drawn by the 
earthquake within, Jim glowered at the door on 
which some one was pounding vigorously, and de- 
manded : 

"What's ailing you?" 

At his question a silence akin to that in the room 
succeeded the noise without. 

"Who are you killing?" the proprietor's voice 
raged. "I'll have the whole bunch of you drunks 
pulled." 



SNOHOMISH CLEARS FOR ACTION 269 

With a quick step Jim reached the door, which he 
unlocked and jerked open. 

"You'll do what?" he roared. 

For an instant the hotel-keeper and the crowd 
quailed before his savage aspect. A long scratch 
marked his cheek from eye to chin. Some of Jack's 
blood was upon his shirt. His figure filled the door- 
way and his face yet wore a murderous look. 

"Well, let me in," said the proprietor, finally. 

"Nobody else though don't worry, I won't lay 
hands on you," said Jim, moving aside. "And I'll 
pay the damage. We've just had a little argument." 

"Argument Great God! Is that what you call 
it !" The man gasped, as advancing he caught sight 
of the wrecked interior and the two prostrate fig- 
ures on the floor. 

Flanagan closed the door to shut off the gaping 
crowd. 

"See here, this pays," he said, stripping off some 
bills from the roll he produced. "Take 'em. Now, 
those fellers ain't as dead as they look, but maybe 
they're broke up some. Wouldn't be surprised if 
that one's jaw wasn't working, and this one here 
ought to have a few ribs floating loose in spots. 
All this came about because they didn't want to be 
arrested they're a couple of dynamiters." 

"Dynamiters !" the proprietor gasped anew. 

"Yes and they're going to jail. Wait till I tie 
'em up, then I give you orders to call the wagon. 
Do you get that?" 

"Damned quick. No dynamiters lodge in my ho- 



270 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

tel," was the reply of the other, whose anger had 
been mollified by the liberal amount of money placed 
in his hand. 

"When the police come, tell 'em to lock these 
crooks up and tell 'em why," Jim continued earnest- 
ly. "For I can't stay to see to the business myself. 
The feller with the bombs is still ranging round 
and you might say to the cops that I've gone to 
Stokes' shipyard. When I'm done there, I'll go to 
the station and give 'em the facts about these fel- 
lers. Got to get busy now." 

"Shall I send the police there?" 

"Yes, after they've landed these men." 

Tearing a bed sheet into strips, Jim speedily 
bound his recent adversaries hand and foot, after- 
wards testing the knots and bands. 

"No dynamite in here, or their rooms?" was 
asked him, anxiously. 

"Nope. And another thing, don't talk. Haven't 
got all the gang yet. Tell the crowd outside it was 
just a row." 

The proprietor nodded his understanding, but ap- 
peared uneasy. 

"This is all straight, is it?" he demanded. 

"Straight goods. Do I look like a crook?" 

"You look like a prize-fighter, anyway." 

Jim smiled grimly. 

"It was coming to them," said he. 

And he went out, elbowing his way through the 
crowd outside, and descended into the office below. 
There the clock showed fifteen minutes after eight. 



SNOHOMISH CLEARS FOR ACTION 271 

Jim thought that he been slightly longer in argu- 
ment than that. He hastily washed his hands and 
face in the washroom, helped himself to a handful 
of cigars from the cigar-case, tossed a half-dollar 
on its top, lighted a weed, and departed. 



XXIV 

THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES 

ELLEN DURAND had a piece of fancy-work on her 
lap, but the needles and thread were idle in her fin- 
gers. Her thoughts were absorbed in recollection of 
the words, look, touch of Robert Stokes' hand in the 
office that afternoon. With a queer feeling of 
panic, and of eagerness, she remembered them all. 
Ever since, she had experienced a strange tremor 
of heart like nothing she had ever known, that made 
her fearful at she knew not what It was as if she 
were undergoing a change utterly new and un- 
namable which threatened while it exalted. 

A call from the hall stair informed her she was 
wanted at the telephone. Aroused from her reverie, 
she laid aside her needles and lace and went down. 
Perhaps the call was from him ! But such did not 
prove to be the case; after she had spoken twice 
without reply, a strained voice came over the wire. 

"Is this Miss . . . Durand?" it asked, with evi- 
dent effort. 

While the tone had a puzzling familiarity, the girl 
could not place the speaker. She could scarcely dis- 
tinguish the words uttered as they apparently were 
in a low, labored murmur. 

272 



THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES 273 

"Yes, this is Miss Durand? Who is speaking? 
What do you wish ?" she inquired. 

After a pause the voice made response. 

"Listen. . . . Get Stokes. I've tried . . . can't. 
Not home." 

"Go on, go on I'm listening!" Ellen Durand 
cried, in swift fear. 

Something in the strange, faint, halting answer of 
the other filled her with an extraordinary alarm. 
And it concerned Robert Stokes. 

"Listen," the voice began again. "Mocket gone 
. . . blow up ships. I followed . . . shot me. 
Warn . . . Warn, Stokes." 

"Who is this speaking? Who is this speaking?" 
the girl asked, in a mist of terror. 

"Andrews. I tried to stop . . . him. Get Stokes 
. . . get . . . Stokes and men . . . yard." 

"Quick! Where are you?" she cried. 

"Securities Build . . . Main killed. Send doctor 
. . . after . . . afterwards, but warn . . . first. 
And stop Mocket . . . bombs, and all that . . . 
German . . . I'm . . . I'm all ... in." 

A rattle of the receiver falling at the other end 
and no further reply to her frantic appeals carried 
its own story. She rang up central, all at once col- 
lected of mind, determined, aroused in spirit. To 
the operator she swiftly announced the fact of the 
shooting in the Securities Building and urged that 
a doctor be immediately dispatched thither. Then 
she demanded Stokes' house telephone number and 
on receiving the connection learned that Robert 



274 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

Stokes had left the dwelling some time before in a 
motor-boat for the shipyard, where he had gone to 
finish work in the office. 

Ellen Durand ran out of the boarding-house. The 
fog rendered the night black and the street lights 
shone through it like muffled moons. The quiet of 
the neighborhood seemed uncanny in contrast to 
the clamor in her mind. A terror possessed her lest 
she be too late. She sped across the street and burst 
into a house whose owner she knew possessed an 
automobile. 

The man and his wife sat reading, but started up 
at her entrance. A little girl ran into the room in 
wonderment. 

"I work at the Stokes shipyards, and I've just 
learned the ships are to be blown up," she said ear- 
nestly. "Won't you take me there in your machine 
so I can warn Mr. Stokes and the guards. One of 
our clerks has just been shot, perhaps killed by the 
plotters." 

"What !" the man exclaimed. 

"Yes. And the plotters may this minute be at 
work to destroy the vessels. We must hurry ! They 
shot Mr. Main too, killed him!" 

"'Gas' Main I can't believe it!" Then with a 
quick leap for the door, and, "Wait for me in front!'* 
he was gone. 

Ellen Durand accompanied by the man's wife and 
child went out upon the veranda. To the girl the 
minutes seemed to fly while she awaited the coming 
of the car. She peered into the foggy night, heark- 



THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES 275 

ening with a pounding heart for the distant roar she 
dreaded, answering vaguely the questions of the 
terrified woman at her side, and clenched and re- 
clenched her hands at the thought Robert Stokes 
was at the shipyard and in danger. 

A thrill of fear shot through her bosom. Even 
now he might be seated in the office, a possible vic- 
tim of the conspirators' bombs. The villains would 
stop at nothing. They had shot Mr. Main why, 
she knew not. They had wounded Andrews, whom 
she had believed one of them. And all the while 
the silent Mocket had been the traitor, the manipu- 
lator of company troubles, the scoundrel planning 
the destruction of the boats and conniver with the 
German agents, potential murderer. He would not 
hesitate to kill Robert Stokes, if necessary to his 
ends. Oh, if that happened if Bob Stokes were 

killed She dropped her face into her hands 

and began to cry softly. 

With a reckless rush the automobile shot out along 
the driveway, its headlights glowing in the fog like 
huge eyes. Ellen Durand ran down the steps of the 
house and out to the curb, where the car throbbing 
and trembling under its power came to rest. The 
man motioned her to a seat by his side. 

"Don't go yourselves where the dynamite is," the 
anxious wife called after them. 

"Um-umph," came from the man's lips, non-com- 
mittally. 

Away sped the car, the street a glister of moisture 
before the lamps, occasionally passing the blurred 



276 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

glare of an automobile headed in the opposite direc- 
tion. Whirling presently into a broader avenue, the 
man increased the car's speed until they were racing 
through the muggy night in a way to satisfy even 
Ellen Durand's desperate mood. Once the man 
spoke to her, saying they had overlooked a bet, 
that they should first have notified the police. She 
answered yes. That had escaped her mind alto- 
gether; and her mind was harried by the thought 
that this oversight might be responsible for Robert 
Stokes' death. The police could have reached the 
shipyard much sooner than they. 

At a reduced rate the car proceeded along the 
main business street, though nevertheless swiftly. 
The driver suddenly swerved alongside the curb and 
shouted to a policeman. 

"Dynamiters at Stokes' shipyard! Turn in a 
call I'm J. F. Austin, of Austin Hardware Com- 
pany," he said to the officer, in short sharp tones. 
"There's an attempt to blow up their ships. I'm 
heading down there. It may happen any instant!" 

Without halting for response he wheeled the car 
away from the spot, dodged a street car and drove 
on. Before the Securities Building a crowd was 
gathered, thronging the pavement about the en- 
trance. It had scented that something extraordinary 
had occurred. Lights were hazily visible part way 
up the edifice. 

"Was that where Main was shot? His offices are 
there," the man said. 

"Yes," she replied. "Oh, do hurry!" 



THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES 277 

Ellen Durand's voice but expressed the fever of 
her soul. It seemed to her that she was burning. 
It seemed to her that they would never reach the 
shipyard, speeding toward it though they were. 
Only when the car swept into the street leading to 
the piers did she grip her palms with new hope. 
She sat leaning forward, her figure taut, gazing 
through the blurred windshield. 

"When we get to the tracks, show me the way 
to their gate I don't know it," the man said. 

She pointed the direction. Over the rails they 
passed, turning into a roadway. She saw the arc- 
lamps strung about the yard for night protection, 
glowing in the mist. A switch engine with a string 
of cars once threatened to block their passage, but 
her companion pushed the automobile across in 
front of the train at the risk of their lives, while 
a wild shriek sounded from the engine's whistle. 
That was the last railroad track to be traversed. 
They dashed ahead for the gate. 

Before it the car came to a stop. Leaping out 
Ellen Durand ran where the gate guard peered 
through the crack made by the partial opening of the 
two doors to examine the visitors. 

"Johnson you're Johnson, aren't you? I'm 
Ellen Durand, the stenographer; let me in!" she 
"cried. 

He opened the gate somewhat doubtfully. 

"I recognize you, but no one's supposed to come 
in at night without an order," said he. 

"I must come in, I will come in! The yard's in 



278 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

danger! Enemies are planning to destroy the ships 
you must give warning!" 

Before the amazed guard could detain her she 
suddenly slipped through the opening and sped to- 
wards the office. The door was ajar. Throwing it 
open she sprang into the building and darted to- 
wards the inner office, where a light burned. Ex- 
pecting to see Robert Stokes seated at his desk at 
work, indeed, with her lips framed to utter an alarm, 
she halted abruptly at perceiving him absent, the 
words checked in her mouth. 

She stood breathing fast, minded to run forth 
and question Johnson concerning Bob's where- 
abouts. Then she heard some one moving in the 
warehouse. She hastened to the door at the op- 
posite side of the room leading into it and usually 
kept locked. But it now opened under her hand. 

A single incandescent lamp burned in the middle 
of the long structure, showing a number of nail- 
kegs and boxes in the circle of its illumination, but 
the rest of the space was concealed in shadow. A 
singular quiet now pervaded the spot. The foot- 
steps she heard had ceased. One of the wide outside 
doors was open, the one fronting the east. 

As her eyes became accustomed to the dim light 
of the place, she saw Robert Stokes standing per- 
fectly motionless, gazing out of the door. He re- 
mained some feet back from it in an attitude of 
fixity and apparently had not heard her enter. 

Hastening forward, she was about to pour forth 
her warning when something in the peculiar, savage 



THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES 279 

expression of his face caused her to stop as she 
reached his side. A swift sidewise glance showed 
that he now knew she was there. His face went 
suddenly pale; a groan came from between his 
teeth. 

"Don't move, either of you," a voice commanded 
from just outside the open door. 

With a start, Ellen Durand looked thither. 
Vaguely outlined against the night where the dim 
radiance fell on the fog were the head and shoulders 
of a man, his breast just level with the warehouse 
floor. Robert Stokes' hand reached and took hers 
in its protecting grip. With a slow horror sicken- 
ing her soul she divined the thing the man held up- 
lifted by his head, ready to fling, and recognized the 
man himself the murderer, Mocket! 



Snohomish Jim had proceeded from the hotel 
direct to the northeast corner of the shipyard, the 
place appointed for a meeting by the sender of the 
money and the instructions. The night could not 
have been better suited for the nefarious purpose 
the conspirators had in view, what with the fog that 
thickened the darkness. Despite the lights in the 
shipyard the enclosure would be obscured and for 
the most part buried in gloom. Even about the 
building vessels where the arc lamps were numerous 
the mist would intensify the shadows. Unless a 
man were immediately within the circle of a lamp's 
foggy illumination, he would be but dimly seen. And 



280 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

realizing that the plotters were practically certain 
to be able to evade the yard guards, Jim Flanagan 
advanced with a determination to prevent at all 
costs the treacherous destruction of the boats. 

Ten minutes' walk brought him to the railroad 
tracks. He crossed them on the street leading to 
the eastern pier, but just before arriving at the lat- 
ter turned aside. A hundred feet or so of ground 
had to be crossed to gain the shipyard fence, a dark 
stretch over which he advanced carefully, feeling 
his way to avoid stumbles or noise. Presently he 
came to the fence, as he judged not far from the 
corner. 

He gave two low whistles, the signal prescribed in 
the note accompanying the currency. A single word, 
"Here," answered him from a point a few paces off 
in the darkness. Towards it he walked, until he 
distinguished a blur he knew to be men. 

"Who is it?" asked the same voice, the voice of 
the man who had met Pete in conference in the 
empty house in the outskirts of the city. 

"I'm Pete's brother that he told you about," Jim 
responded, in a guarded tone. 

"Well, the others haven't arrived yet." 

"And won't, unless they sober up mighty fast," 
Flanagan remarked, with emphasis. "Couldn't keep 
'em away from the bottle. I argued and begged, 
but they were started on the booze and nothing 
would make 'em stop. Said they had the money, 
so didn't need to come." Something like curses 
from more than one pair of lips showed Jim he was 



THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES 281 

correct in his surmise that there were two or more 
men here. 

"You're on hand, at least," the spokesman stated. 

"Yes. When I'm paid to do a job, I don't lay 
down on it. A feller ought to get something in re- 
turn for his good money. And I don't let liquor 
interfere with business." 

A silence ensued, then the others consulted to- 
gether in whispers. To Snohomish Jim it sounded 
as if they were exchanging views in a foreign 
tongue, some "wop" language. 

"The night's favorable; perhaps you can do all 
the work yourself," was addressed to him. 

The words were tentative, almost a question. 

"Sure, I can," said he. "Nobody can see a feller 
much in this fog. What's the scheme?" 

The spokesman came closer. 

"We have here in a suitcase six bombs," said he, 
in slow, careful explanation. "With one of them 
I'll blow up the office building. That will bring all 
the guards on the run, and in the confusion and after 
giving them two or three minutes in which to reach 
the spot you'll circle round and throw the rest under 
the ships. You'll take the nearer vessel first and use 
three bombs, one each under the bow and the stern 
and one in the middle. Then you'll hasten to the 
newer boat and destroy it with the remaining two 
charges. There's enough high explosive in the 
bombs to wreck the hulls completely if you throw 
them as I instruct. And there will be a hundred 
dollars more for you when you've finished." 



282 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Where'll I get it ? You won't be hanging round 
long after the music starts," Jim said. "And it's 
a sure thing I won't be loitering none after I'm 
done." 

"We'll wait here until you return. We want to 
make quite sure the ships are blown to pieces." 

In the woodsman's mind there was a strong 
skepticism as to the conspirators lingering to pay 
him an extra bonus, but he did not express it. 

"Have you planned our get-away?" he inquired. 

"We'll escape from the yard in the same manner 
we enter through two boards here at my back 
which we've removed from the fence. I loosened 
them a week ago, in such a way as not to be ob- 
served." 

"And after we get outside?" Jim queried. 

"You'll then have to look after yourself. We'll 
give you the extra hundred and you can disappear. 
Don't expect help from us after that. We depart 
by a motor-boat lying at the pier yonder and you 
need not think to see us again or to receive further 
aid. You'll have to make the best of your chances, 
just as we do. Now, you understand thoroughly 
what you have to do?" 

"Absolutely understand, absolutely." 

"Well, I want no mistakes, or bad work," the 
spokesman said. 

"Leave it to me; I always give satisfaction," Jim 
replied. "I can hit a tree fifty yards off and these 
boats are considerable bigger than a tree. Can't 
miss 'em." 



THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES 283 

Again the plotters consulted together, while Jim 
stood by attempting to divine their whispers. Mean- 
while he chewed tobacco with deliberate workings of 
his jaws. 

"Come along with us," the man directed him, 
presently. "Follow me through the hole." 

As bade, Snohomish Jim found and inserted his 
long body through the opening made in the fence by 
the removel of the boards, crowding after the lead- 
er. Behind him came the other two of the party, 
one uttering a word of caution in English concern- 
ing proper handling of the suitcase. 

The lights of the yard were now visible. The 
four men advanced in silence, their figures dimly 
outlined to each other, passed along in the gloom 
of several piles of timbers and finally halted when 
the leader gve a low word of warning. They were 
in the open. The office building which stood some 
two hundred feet from the spot where they had en- 
tered was now but twenty paces before them. A 
light burned in the north end where the offices were 
located, but the warehouse part of the structure was 
a dark blur. 

"I'll take one bomb," the leader told Flanagan, 
"then you go off yonder with the rest in the suitcase 
and wait, as I explained. Carry the case carefully 
and wait till the guards have come in this direc- 
tion before beginning work." 

The speaker took the case from the man who car- 
ried it, laid it flat on the ground and after opening 
it removed one of the objects it contained. Then he 



284 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

closed the suitcase once more and set it up straight. 
Jim had sought to distinguish the features of his 
three companions, but beyond seeing that the leader 
was tall and thin, and the others not so tall but 
stouter, he learned nothing except that one appeared 
to wear a beard. 

"Better let me dynamite that building, 'long with 
the rest," Jim suggested. 

"No," said the man with the bomb, sharply. "I 
want to do that with my own hand ; I want to leave 
my mark on the cursed place. And besides, by 
drawing the guards off the vessels, it gives you op- 
portunity to do your own part successfully. You, 
Hoffner and Herr Van Greiz, remain here till I 
return." 

At the names Jim glanced at the men designated. 
Like a flash, his brain grasped the significance of the 
plot. These were German enemies ! Not only was 
Stokes Brothers' property at stake, but the interests 
of America as well ! 

He shot out a hand it was time to act! His 
ringers closed around the leader's wrist. 

"Give me that bomb, you dirty traitor, or I'll blow 
you all up," he growled. "I've got your number, 
you Dutch hellhounds!" 

All at once a heavy cane in the hand of one of the 
other men rose and fell on Flanagan's head. With- 
out a sound he went down full length. The men 
bent over him, exchanging a few hurried words. 
Then the leader moved away towards the ware- 



THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR GATES 285 

house, where he slid open a door which he had 
provisionally left unlocked. 

Back on the ground Snohomish Jim, amid a gal- 
axy of stars, opened his eyes. A fierce throb beat 
on the top of his skull but on occasion he had been 
hit much harder with a peavey handle. His head 
was tough. He gazed upward and about. In front 
of him with their backs his way stood two of the 
men. He noiselessly sat up with renewed interest. 
The suitcase was on the ground within reach. Get- 
ting to his feet like a shadow, he glared at the two 
figures. Against the glow he perceived that one 
leaned on a cane if he had been sure they did not 
carry revolvers, he would have begun an "argu- 
ment." 

Presently one of the two men turned to look at 
their victim. He next bent over and stared, then 
clutched the other's arm. 

"Mein Gott!" he cried. "Look!" 

The prostrate figure and the suitcase both had 
evaporated. 



XXV 

A DEATH BLAST 

AT the sound of one of the warehouse doors be- 
ing opened which came to him faintly in the office, 
Robert Stokes had stopped work to investigate. 
Unlocking the door leading into the long dark build- 
ing, he had struck a match and advanced towards 
the middle of the room where he snapped on a sus- 
pended electric light. Apparently the man outside 
had observed him come through the illuminated of- 
fice door, recognizing him and watching his move- 
ments with a sardonic interest, for when Bob took 
a step towards the outer opening he beheld his 
book-keeper just outside. The bomb in the man's 
hand, the malevolence on his face, announced more 
clearly than words his infamous purpose. And 
Stokes realized that the conspirators had chosen 
this night for the execution of their plot. 

But Bob remained cool. 

"So you're responsible for all our troubles," he 
said in a low voice, playing for time. "Where's 
your master, Main? I'll venture to say he's keep- 
ing safe away." 

Mocket's eye-glasses seemed to glitter against the 
dim light. 

286 



A DEATH BLAST 287 

"Main's dead and your clerk Andrews, who fol- 
lowed me to Main's office trying to trap me, is dead 
also," was the answer, given with cold insolence. 
"I shot them both. Main was no master of mine. 
And you'll have to go over the road with them, 
since you've stumbled in here. You'll sail up with 
the building and with your ships." 

"Then you're the leader in this German plot to 
destroy our ships," Bob replied, still seeking to gain 
some advantage by delay. "You take our money, 
but sell us out and sell out your country for thirty 
pieces of silver, like Judas." 

"My country! This land full of men seeking to 
wallow in money, a land too foul with the off scour- 
ings of Europe and the collected scum of the earth, 
isn't my country, you fool! I despise it, I spit on 
it! If I could take it in my hands, I would wring 
it till it suffered the pain I have suffered and would 
rend it to pieces." 

"Yet it gave you welcome when you came to it," 
Stokes said. "It gave you employment, gave you 
clothes for your body, gave you food for your 
mouth, gave you shelter. Are you such an ingrate 
that you now strive to return harm for good ?" 

A bitter laugh was the man's answer. 

"I hate it, I tell you," Mocket exclaimed, in a low 
fierce voice. "Every minute I have been here has 
been an eternity, and instead of receiving kindness 
I've had to crawl and lick the hands of men that 
were no better than I yourself among them. I had 
to do that, I. in whose veins runs the blood of a 



288 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

noble family. Faugh ! It sickens me to think of it. 
And I shall make as many of you pay for it as I 
can reach!" 

"So you still love Germany. For you're a Ger- 
man, aren't you?" 

"A German, yes, the only decent race on earth. 
All others are fools and shall go down in the dust. 
As you shall go down !" 

"And you have no doubts about your superiority, 
I suppose." 

A sneer sufficed to express Mocket's opinion of 
that. The man continued to stand unspeaking. In 
his hand he held the bomb uplifted, while his whole 
attitude was one of rigid pitilessness. 

Suddenly Bob heard light footsteps coming to- 
wards him across the warehouse floor, but he did 
not remove his eyes from the instrument of death 
which Mocket carried. But finally when he sensed 
someone stood beside him, he shot a glance about 
towards the person and to his horror beheld Ellen 
Durand. With a feeling of despair he caught her 
hand. How had she come here ? What fate had led 
her into this dreadful situation? Hard upon the 
quick fear he had, there came a tremendous surge 
of passion that cleared his brain and steeled his body 
to save her life. 

"Let her go safe, anyway," he demanded of the 
fanatic before him in the doorway. 

"To give warning to your guards ? No." 

Bob slipped a protecting arm about her form. 

"Surely you're not cruel enough to destroy her," 



A DEATH BLAST 289 

he pleaded. "She's but a girl; make your war on 
men if war you must make." 

"Too late; she has no business here. Chance 
brought her here and she must therefore pay the 
toll. Lives shall not stand in my road to-night 
your life, her life, or other lives! Main has been 
swept aside, Andrews swept aside; so must you 
be. I serve Germany!" 

Stokes for all his apparent attention to the ef- 
fort to persuade the murderer to leniency had been 
planning. Possibilities, chances, the elements of the 
situation, all were being swiftly calculated in his 
mind. The explosive force of a bomb carrying the 
constituents that this held by Mocket must have 
would be appalling. The thing would unquestion- 
ably wreck that part of the warehouse where he and 
Ellen Durand stood but what of Mocket himself? 

From Ms place to the door leading into the of- 
fice was some fifty feet, and from that door through 
the two offices to the outside was another fifty feet; 
a hundred feet in all. If he snatched up Ellen and 
ran he should be able to cover it in ten seconds 
at most. Keyed to the highest nervous pitch as he 
was, he felt himself capable of any effort of 
strength and agility, anything because he must! 
And unless Mocket were wholly insane, a madman, 
ready to immolate himself as well as others in his 
savage desire for revenge and punishment, he him- 
self should have to retreat at least fifty feet from 
the building to escape the effect of the explosion. 

"Well, if that thing in your hand is the real ar- 



290 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

tide you'll be blown to pieces along with us," Stokes 
remarked. 

"Your solicitude is interesting," came the other's 
mocking answer. "But you may be sure that I shall 
take good care of my own skin. I have a great deal 
to do before I cease operations, my dear employer. 
For one thing, I want to see your ships go up in 
kindling wood; two friends are ready and merely 
waiting to hear my shot, which is their signal. You 
would have been in hades by now had I not seen 
your light through this open door and decided to 
see who I was to send into eternity. It rather pleases 
me it is a member of the firm ; that gives distinction 
to the affair." 

Stokes felt Ellen Durand's fingers grip his arm 
in terror. 

"You imagine you can stand there and throw the 
bomb without receiving injury?" Bob asked skep- 
tically. 

"Oh, I shall retire a suitable distance." 

Bob's arm tightened about the girl and his whole 
body tensed as he realized the instant for action 
was at hand. 

"But how about those guards there behind you ?" 
he questioned, in a voice of exaggerated contempt. 
"See them?" 

Mocket whirled about, crouching in alarm, peer- 
ing this way and that at the darkness with his near- 
sighted eyes. Look as he would, he saw no one ; he 
again glanced about on all sides to make certain; 



A DEATH BLAST 291 

then he realized that he had been duped by the oldest 
of tricks. Turning angrily around he cried : 

"You imbecile Yankee, I'll-- " 

But the doorway was empty. The long warehouse 
indeed no longer held the man and girl whom he had 
expected to sacrifice to sate his passion for de- 
struction, in truth verging on insanity, and he be- 
held against the panel of light framed by the inner 
office doorway Stokes with Ellen Durand in his 
arms vanishing from view. While he had stupidly 
stared into the gloom for imaginary guards, the 
youth had lifted the girl, ran stealthily on tiptoe 
from the place, escaped. 

Venting an oath on the doorway Mocket rushed 
back from the building, lifted his arm and hurled 
the bomb forward. 

On the opposite side of the structure and from 
the office door at the north end Bob Stokes had stag- 
gered out and was running desperately for the yard 
gate. He had taken half a dozen steps when a deaf- 
ening roar blasted the night and flung him with his 
charge forward upon the earth. His head struck 
the ground and he lay dazed, the ringing roar still in 
his ears. 

When he opened his eyes again, he perceived the 
night illuminated by a brilliant glare. The dynamite 
wrecked building was burning. Next instant he 
became conscious that Ellen Durand sat on the 
ground supporting his head in her lap, bending her 
face over him and softly sobbing. 



292 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

"Don't cry. I'm not dead, by a long way," he 
said. 

At his words she quickly drew his head against 
her breast, where she held it close. 

"I should have died too if you had been killed," 
she said. 

"When you came into the warehouse there and 
stood beside me," he answered, slipping an arm up- 
ward and drawing down her face so he could kiss 
it, "I knew then, as if our danger had opened my 
eyes, that I loved you and should never let you go 
again. I knew too that you had seen me there 
threatened by that man and had come in at the risk 
of your life to save me. What a brave heart you 
have!" 

"I do love you; I want to be with you always, 
Bob." 

"And you shall, sweetheart." 

Once more he kissed her damp, tear-stained face 
and then arose to his feet, afterwards helping her 
up. 

"But how did you happen to be here at the yard 
to-night?" he questioned, earnestly. 

"Mr. Andrews 'phoned me this terrible man had 
shot him. He had tried to warn you, but failing that 
called me up. And, oh, it sounded as if he were dy- 
ing while he spoke ! Then I rushed here in a neigh- 
bor's automobile when I was told you were at the 
office, and when I was inside I heard you in the 
warehouse, looked in, saw you about to be killed. 
That instant I knew you were everything to me." 



A DEATH BLAST 293 

Just then a nearby voice spoke. Stokes turning 
his head perceived Snohomish Jim standing an in- 
terested spectator. 

"Feeling all right now, Bob ? There won't be any 
more shootin' bombs in the yard, for I'm packin' 
the rest of 'em here in this suitcase. Arrived about 
this spot when you came tumbling out. We better 
go after the men; they haven't been gone but a 
minute. Told me they expected to beat it in a boat 
they had tied up at the east pier." 

"I know the boat. If they get away now, there'll 
be no catching them at all," Bob stated, hurriedly. 

"I dread to have you go!" Ellen cried. 

"Come along, boy excuse us, lady," Jim said. 

"Be careful, be careful, Robert! You musn't 
be injured now when the danger is over," Ellen 
whispered, clinging to him. 

"I shall catch these men if possible. The boat I 
came in from the house is tied at the water's edge 
across the yard, where I had a carpenter make an 
opening in the fence, a door I can lock. Come on, 
Jim, we'll beat them to it." 

At that moment a patrol of police ran into the 
yard to augment the guards already protecting the 
ships. 

"See that a fire call is put in, if the watchman 
hasn't already done so," Bob said to the girl. "We'll 
not be gone long." 

Skirting piles of lumber, now rendered visible by 
the light of the burning warehouse, Stokes and Flan- 
agan hastened to the fence at the eastern side of the 



294 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

yard, followed it along to the water, and there 
emerged through Bob's private gate upon the beach 
of the basin. A brief search found the motor-boat 
moored at the spot where it had been left. 

"We haven't any guns," Bob exclaimed in some 
anxiety. 

"Well, we've got something else," said Jim. "Hop 
in. We don't want to give those fellers any time 
to breathe. I reckon they haven't got to their boat 
yet, though doubtless they're running their legs off. 
They've got to go without attracting notice. It 
would give 'em all away, on top of the explosion 
if they chased too fast. Run the boat quiet, boy. 
We've got to listen some in this fog." 

"I'll keep her close in by the pier," Stokes an- 
swered. 

The boat was pushed free. In the bow Jim took 
up watch with the precious suitcase between his feet. 
From the streets before the shipyard sounded the 
clamor of approaching fire engines. Calls and shouts 
were heard about the shipping of the water-front 
where the roar of the bomb had stirred all hearers 
to excitement. Through the fog the glow of the 
fire in the company's enclosure illuminated the night. 

Stokes and Flanagan had progressed at slow 
speed for a quarter of the length of the pier when 
they heard the sudden popping of an exhaust at 
their left. In the darkness they could make out 
nothing, but Bob kept his craft moving ahead. The 
direction of the sounds changed, as if the other craft 



A DEATH BLAST 295 

had moved out from the pier and now approached 
nearer. 

"Let her have gas; here they come, I bet a dol- 
lar !" Jim exclaimed. 

Stokes had given his boat a swing away from 
the shipping in order to gain room and at Flana- 
gan's utterance pressed the accelerator. Over his 
shoulder and against the glow of the fire behind 
he saw the shape of another boat containing men 
sweeping toward them. It was not fifty feet away. 
On its present course it would pass the spot farther 
to the west, as it appeared to be veering sharply 
from the pier, seeking the cover of night. Again 
Bob changed his direction so as to bring him nearer 
the other craft. That the men were not aware of 
a second boat running parallel with and a little in 
advance of their own was certain. 

"I'll have to ram them, Jim," he said. "Or they'll 
get away." 

Jim was busy with something at his feet. 

"Get close and order them to stop, first," he 
answered. 

Both boats were now traveling fast. The con- 
spirators' purpose was plainly to escape to sea, 
where either some vessel awaited to pick them up 
or where they planned to skirt the coast until they 
won Mexican waters. 

The blurred lights on both piers marked the har- 
bor from which they were passing. Once the tall 
dim shape of a vessel with riding lights, at anchor in 
the basin, loomed up and fell away at one side in 



296 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 

the darkness. At the pace the two craft were going 
Bob did not dare risk trying to bring his boat nearer 
the other except at a long angle, for fear of falling 
astern and losing it altogether. He was getting all 
out of his little scooter that he could, but the second 
boat, large and strongly engined, was picking him 
up as he could tell by the increased noise of its ex- 
haust. The enemy was now not more than thirty 
feet off, and almost even; in another two minutes 
their boat would be in front. 

"Halt, you men !" Jim shouted. 

A quick exclamation of alarm came in reply, then 
hurried exchange of cries among the occupants of 
.the opposite craft. A pistol flashed, flashed a second 
time, while the reports rang over the water. 

"Steady, Bob, hold her level," said Jim. 
i He hurled something outward in the darkness. 
In short stabs their enemies' revolvers continued to 
flame in the blackness. Twice bullets splintered the 
woodwork of the hull. And the conspirators were 
gaining; the exhaust of their boat roared like a hum- 
ming wheel in the fog. 

Suddenly Bob perceived Jim rise in the bow, his 
figure vague and portentous. The flashes of the 
pistols had ceased for a moment, but now began 
again. The other boat was scarcely twenty feet 
away; its stern was even with their bow. 

"Hold fast, Bob hell may pop !" 

His arm swung and hurled twice, thrice. 

"Get 'em, get 'em," Stokes was grating through 
his teeth, 



A DEATH BLAST 297 

"Steady, boy, steady this is the last! . . . 
Aha!" 

Their boat seemed suddenly lifted and dashed 
down upon the dark waters, as a blinding flash and 
roar rent the darkness of the harbor. For one in- 
stant Stokes and Flanagan seemed to see a geyser 
spouting upward that bore planks and spume and 
figures of men, then night clapped down again and 
the pair were tossing and rocking in the fog, lying 
where they had been flung flat on the bottom of their 
boat, the sound of the explosion still ringing in their 
ears. Where the other craft had been was 
nothing ! 



XXVI 

THE FIRST SHIP 

ON the morning of July Fourth, at about the hour 
of eleven o'clock, most of Martinsport was gath- 
ered in the shipyard of Stokes Brothers, which was 
gaily decorated with flags and bunting. Frederic 
Stokes, freed of his plaster cast at last, was there 
with his wife and sitting in Mr. Willard's motor 
car. Beside the latter was Broussard's automobile, 
in which reposed Andrews, pale and weak, with a 
nurse at his side his first day out of the hospital. 
Among the town's prominent citizens present were 
Derland, Johnson and Farrington. The latter pair 
wore the pleasant dignified manner such an impor- 
tant occasion merited. And there were the un- 
named thousands who joined in the double holiday 
of the nation's anniversary and of the launching of 
the first vessel built in Martinsport. 

The circumstances under which the ship had been 
built made its successful construction the more note- 
worthy. War had touched, though secretly, the 
little city. Every soul present knew of the con- 
spiracy to wreck the vessels, though uninformed of 
the details, and therefore a glamor hung about the 
huge hull ready to slip into the sea. 

298 



THE FIRST SHIP 299 

All at once at a signal the blocks were knocked 
away. An American flag on the ship began to wave 
gently, the ship itself to move on the way. A cheer 
arose from the throng. On the deck where stood 
Ellen Durand, Robert Stokes and John Stokes, 
Flanagan and others, among them city and state of- 
ficers, there was a flutter of handkerchiefs and flags. 
Ellen Durand bent over and swung an object at- 
tached by a cord against the side of the vessel's bow ; 
there came a splash and gleam of shining drops in 
the sunlight. A band was playing, but the roar from 
the crowd drowned its strains. Again and again 
that wave of sound swept the throng. 

At first traveling slowly though gathering speed 
as it proceeded along the greased way, the ship 
moved down into the sea. As it took the water a 
great wave of foam curled up about the stern where 
was painted the name ELLEN DURAND. 

Bob Stokes caught and pressed the girl's hands, 
smiling down at the happiness on her face. Off 
the wooden track and out upon the waters of the 
harbor slid the ship, sending an immense surge 
beating forth to either pier, and floated there shin- 
ing bright and strong in new paint, her flag waving 
free to the breeze. 

Snohomish Jim lifted his hat aloft with a solemn 
air and spoke. 

"The finest ship, the finest girl, the finest flag 
floatin' I salute 'em all. That's me!" 

THE END 



